How-to sew a yo-yo (or Suffolk Puff if you're British!)

Gather supplies to sew yo-yo's

Yo-yo's are super fun and fast to sew. They can be used to decorate patchwork or used by themselves to make a coverlet. I have used them in several patterns.

You will need:

Fabric
Cardboard or template plastic to make yo-yo circle or Clover yo-yo maker
Fabric marker
Needle: Milliner 10 or 11
Thread: 50wt minimum

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF YO-YO TEMPLATES AND BLOG POST

Sewing a yo-yo from a template

Trace a plate, saucer, anything that is the size you need.
Select the fabric you want to use for your yo-yo and cut a circle from the fabric using a circular template.
Thread the needle with a matching or contrasting thread, leave a 2-3" tail, don’t knot the end.
Hold the fabric circle with the wrong side facing you.
Fold the edge of the fabric circle about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) to the wrong side and start sewing with small, even stitches along the folded edge.
Keep stitching around the circle's entire circumference, ensuring to maintain even stitches.

How to hand sew a yo-yo (suffolk puff) - Craftapalooza Designs

Once you've stitched all the way around, gently pull the thread to gather the fabric. This will create a pouch or "puff" shape.
Pull the thread tight to gather the fabric into the centre, closing up the hole.
Then taking the 2-3" tail left when you started, make a knot with the thread and needle still attached to the yo-yo to secure the thread.
Take the needle and thread that’s still attached through the inside and out the back of the yo-yo and knot it off and re-thread the other tails, doing the same.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF YO-YO TEMPLATES AND BLOG POST

Sewing a yo-yo using a Clover Yo-yo maker

I have a video with annotations on how to use a Clover Yo-yo maker over on Instagram. LINK.

Attaching a yo-yo to a project or patchwork

Pin or lightly glue the yo-yo in position and then slip stitch around the outer edge attaching it. I also like to do a decorative cross in the centre of the yo-yo to anchor it to whatever I'm sewing it to and I add little stitches in between the folds up near and around the whole centre to attach the yo-yo and help keep it anchored to the background.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF YO-YO TEMPLATES AND BLOG POST