Create these charming placemats for your dining room or kitchen table using handmade Yo-Yos. It's a great project to use up your fabric scraps or you can buy fabric to match your decor.
Placemat Dimensions:
12" wide x 18" long (approx.)
54 Yo-Yo's needed to make one placemat
Yo Yo Placemat
Supplies:
4 inch circle template (cut from plastic or cardboard)
100% cotton fabric scraps
tracing pen or pencil designed for marking on fabrics
quilting thread
invisible thread
hand sewing needle
scissors
thimble
How to make a Yo-Yo:
Instructions:
1. Using a fabric marking pen or pencil, trace desired amount of circles onto wrong side of fabric being used. Cut out circles.
2. Thread a needle with about 10" of quilting thread and double knot one end.
3. Hold a 4" circle with the wrong side of the fabric facing you. Fold 1/4" of the circle's raw edge toward the wrong side of the fabric and secure it with a running stitch close to the fold. Continue folding and stitching around the entire circle.
4. When you reach the beginning point, gather stitches tightly. Be sure that the right side of the fabric is on the outside of the yo-yo.
5. Smooth and flatten yo-yo so the hole is in the center.
6. Knot and cut off excess gathering thread.
7. Join the Yo-Yos together where they touch with a few whip stitches using Invisible Thread.
Tips:
Make sure to use a strong quilting thread. You do not want the thread to break when you gather the fabric.
Start the first stitch underneath the folded edge to hide double knot.
The top side of the Yo-Yo is the side with the hole in the middle.
How to make a Yo-Yo Placemat:
Put Your Skills to Use:
1. Using a 4" circle template, trace and cut out 54 circles of desired fabric.
2. Make the yo-yos as described above.
3. Once all 54 yo-yos are made, arrange the yo-yos in 6 rows and 9 columns until desired design. Tip: If using scrappy fabrics, try not to place yo-yos together that are similar in color.
4. Join yo-yos together as described above.
5. Repeat instructions for each placemat.
Variations:
Try using smaller circle templates which will make smaller yo-yos. Please note: the smaller the yo-yo, the more yo-yos you will need to complete the project.
Arrange yo-yos in different designs. i.e. create a square within a square look simply by using 3 colors. One color for center yo-yo, one color for inside square, and one color for outside square.
Make a wall hanging using the same technique with fabrics to compliment your home decor.
Care and Use:
It is not recommended to use these decorative placemats for everyday dining. To clean placemats, hand wash using a gentle soap like Woolite and rinse with cold water.
About the Author:
Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange and the Home & Garden Exchange. The Home Decor Exchange is a popular home and garden website featuring resources, articles, decorating pictures, free projects, a shopping marketplace, and more.
excellent. youth with limitations will find this project easy. Will make several different kinds of projects from this.
Debbie – california
Apr 09, 2009 - 16:52
Here is a great place to find other YoYo projects. sewing.about.com
You can also put them together to make book worm book marks.
Sally – Hackettstown, NJ
Dec 15, 2008 - 06:20
I am looking for different ideas for things you can make with the yo-yo's. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions or patterns even. Maybe someone knows of a website that offers patterns
Reply to Sally
Nancy – gonzales, LA
Dec 18, 2008 - 13:55
Sally...I love making yo-yo's. I have found several things to do with yo-yo's. Decorate tee around the neck line, make yo-yo ballons and place them on tees, decorate the bottom or top of a straw bag for the beach or around town. Gather a couple of yo-yo's togeher and make a corsage with them.
You can also go to a book store as well as on ebay and find articles using yo=yos. Joann fabrics had a wine holder using the colors black and white.
You are not as limited as you think! Have a great time...Nancy
Reply to Sally
Brenda – Celina, TN
Jan 09, 2009 - 00:12
I have a pair of really old curtain tiebacks of my grandmothers that are made from attaching yo yo's together similar to the way the placemat is made.
Reply to Sally
Diana – Union, MO
Jan 31, 2009 - 15:09
I was looking in a catalog that has framed artwork and saw sand dollar shells in a deep frame with a mat. It occurred to me that the shells looked like yo-yo's. I thought I could copy the sand dollar pattern or I could make my own patterns...hearts, shamrocks, Santa hat, leave it up to your imagination. I haven't tried it yet, but it is on my project list.
Reply to Sally
Ruth – Brookville, PA
Feb 18, 2010 - 16:37
Several years ago I made the bride's maids and flower girl dresses for my neices wedding. I used scraps of the satin fabric and made yo-yos and sewed a pearl in the center of each. I then stitched them on the dresses at the back waistline and the scalloped edge of the sleeves as a simple adornment. I also used them to decorated the ring bearer's pillow that I made.
Cheryl
Oct 16, 2008 - 12:36
I am in a craft show in two weeks. I would like to make yo yo headbands. Any suggestions and/or ideas regarding patterns and material to use for the headbands would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Susan – New Jersey
Sep 13, 2008 - 21:06
Hi,
I have an old yoyo quilt my grandmother made and I want have some pillows made from it. I want to be sure wbeepI select to make these pillows is familiar with working with old quilts. Do you know anyone in NJ wbeepworks on old quilts? Thank you very much.
selina – texas
Sep 01, 2008 - 23:12
i am making a Yo Yo quilt. Can I stuff them with a little polly fill to make them puff? If so do I want to do it before or after I get them sewn together in the quilt pattern?
It is not recommended to use these decorative placemats for everyday dining. To clean placemats, hand wash using a gentle soap like Woolite and rinse with cold water.
