Yo Yo suggestions?

I always thought silk thread was rather fragile??? Maybe I'm wrong- BTDT- many, many times! I always used buttonhole thread or even Coats & Clark- and doubled it. And maybe try larger stitches that will be looser- I guess what I'm trying to say in a very roundabout manner is experiment. LOL Good luck with all those yo-yos... better you than me!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I agree with Leslie. Use a strong hand quilting thread or a doubled sewing thread. If you make too many little stitches, you get a bigger "hole" in the middle of the yoyo. The best approach is to make even stitches and far enough apart so the "hole" will close when you pull it tight. Experiment.

Well, golly. Thanks. I thought tiny stitches would be better. I thought silk was the strongest. Reckon I was going entirely in the wrong direction. I do wish y'all would watch me more closely. Polly

how big are these yoyos? would the smallest yoyo maker work? just a thot. smallest one makes 5/8" yoyos, iirc.

"Polly Esther" wrote... Well, golly. Thanks. I thought tiny stitches would be better. I thought silk was the strongest. Reckon I was going entirely in the wrong direction. I do wish y'all would watch me more closely. Polly

"KJ" wrote...

How about a fine fishing line? But would it knot tightly enough to hold?

Thank you, Jeanne and Kate, but double plain old Coats and Clark with bigger stitches solved the problem. However . . . I saw a couple of necklaces at the Hattiesburg MS quilt show with yo-yo's tinier than dimes. They were exquisite. Wonder how they do that? Polly

The yo yo makers I believe come in that size and some stores are still promoting them. I have several sizes and I have to say they do make wonderful yo-yos easily. I mainly use them for middle of flowers or decor for purses.

Kelly

I've done a few recently to gather into 5 petaled flowers for a civil war reproduction quilt that I'm contributing a row to. Anyway, back to the thread, I always double the thread with yo yos, and rarely have a problem, I was using 100 weight silk thread and I did have one break, but I think it was because I pulled too hard when it was stuck, rather than loosening and investigating why it wasn't moving! Very small stitches can also contribute to thread issues, I go small but not too small, after all, the stitches aren't usually seen as isn't the smooth side usually considered the right side of a yo yo? The puckers in the fabric are because you are turning a large circle into a small circle, so you're going to get gathers on the back side, it's close to impossible without inserting a form of some sort inside to get the front perfectly smooth and none of the gathers from the back working to the front - but if you wanted that look, wouldn't you just applique circles, or use two circles sewn together and snip one and turn inside out for something with the dimension of a yo yo, but none of the look!

Cheers Anne

We do try, Polly >g< . In message , Polly Esther writes

I have yoyo makers from Clover. It is so easy! When I traveled I was making them by the handfuls to keep my hands busy. I used regular thread doubled. Now I have several hundred yoyo's and nothing to do with them. I have been looking for a doll pattern I like. I might make something like that.

I know and I appreciate it. Polly

"Patti" We do try, Polly >g<

I use hand quilting thread - the glazed kind for yo yos. I always thought that tiny stitches made better yo yos, but during a mini workshop at my guild, the teacher showed the difference that the length of stitches make. I now take somewhat longer stitches, even on small yo yos. I would experiment a bit to see what works the best.

Thought we had the gators trained to keep a closer eye on you! Barbara in FL where our gators stay on the edge of the pond! WATCHING!

Boca, have you thought about a yo-yo vest for special occasions? Barbara in Central FL, land of the hurricanes

I guess it depends on the effect you are after. The few times I have made yo-yo's I wanted them to represent flowers. I sewed them on with the gathered side up and sewed a button over the hole. To my eyes, that looked more flower-like than putting them with the smooth side up.

Julia in MN

Howdy!

a few ideas for yo-yos

For years I carried a little make-up bag with me everywhere, stuffed w/ fabric circles, needles, thimble and a spool of handquilting thread; takes about 30 seconds to make a yo-yo (single strand of handquilting thread). I had yo-yos in piles & baskets & bags, stitched to shirts and vests and on quilts, sold yo-yos at the quilt shop. Yo-yo garlands, ornaments, jewelry. There's a large quilt top upstairs, queen-size, of yo-yos; the bag of yo-yo makings is in the pyramid chest by the front door, waiting.

R/Sandy

I have to tell you that almost everyday that I read something you have written you make me giggle. Thank you :)

Isn't that the truth?!