yoyo along- part 2

I'm almost embarrassed.

My well intentioned yoyo along grew stale with all the happenings of the last quarter of 2011, but thanks to a few nudging emails that have come in over the last few weeks, I decided to pick up the camera, turn on my machine, and get the next step of the yoyo along posted. So thank you to those of you who have been patiently waiting. I hope it will have been worth the wait for you once you start seeing your quilt come together.

For those of you who are newer to sewtakeahike, I posted the first part of the yoyo along here, just click the button and it will take you to the first step.

 

 

I have yet to finish my yoyo's myself, but I've given myself permission to take my time since I know this will be the one and only yoyo quilt I ever make this size!

 

Here we go!!

I'm not a huge fan of hand sewing, plus I want this quilt to be more durable, so I decided to teach you how to sew the yoyo's by machine.

My bernina has a stitch called the bar tack stitch. I like using the bar tack stitch because it automatically does a tie off stitch for me at the beginning and end of each bar tack. If your machine has this stitch, then great! If not, just set your zig-zag stitch to a zero length and it will achieve the same end goal.

My bar tack stitch is highlighted here, #25

 

 

I set the length to .4 and the width to 4.

 

Also, if you have access to an edge-stitch foot and some 50wt aurifil, that would be very helpful. I like using the 50 wt. aurifil to sew them together because it is strong, but thinner so the stitches aren't as noticeable.

 

 

Step 1.

Pull 16 yoyo's from your bag of 1008 and arrange them into blocks of 4X4. There are limitless ways you can arrange your yoyo's. By color, with stripes of different colors, with white based fabrics in the middle square or the outside edge, the same color for each point, and any other combo you can think of! For me, I like it best random and scrappy.

 

 

 

Step 2.

Using your bar tack stitch (or modified zig zag), sew your yoyo's into strands of 4, making sure to keep them in the order you like.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3.

Using the same technique as in step 2, sew the yoyo strands together so you have a block of 4X4 yoyo's. Trim your stray threads.

 

 

Once you've sewn all your 1008 yoyo's together, you should have 63 blocks consisting of 16 yoyo's each.

 

Step 4.

I don't have any photos for this step yet since I don't have all my yoyo's made, but basically, you will arrange your blocks so they are 7 blocks across and 9 down, and sew the blocks together in the same manner as you did the individual yoyo's and strips of yoyo's in steps 2 and 3. If you used the same number of yoyo's that I'm using (1008) and the same size yoyo maker (60mm), your yoyo quilt will measure approximately 63"X81".

 

So there you have it. I'm almost 50% done with my yoyo's and will try to keep you all updated with my progress. And if you can, please do post your photos of your yoyo quilt in progress, and completed, in my sewtakeahike flickr group!

 

Happy Friday, and Happy New Year. Here's to a spectacular 2012!

 

~Penny

Comments

[Effie]

Looking good... That's a fab looking machine, I'm having real trouble with my 6 month old Pfaff expression4 so may be looking at Bernina (I have an ancient Bernina ).which Bernina is yours?

[eunny]

oh my gosh...I can't imagine making 1008 yo-yos , good for you! The scrappy colors are really cute.

[Samantha K.]

I honestly forgot I was working on this project!!! But I think now after a break from making yo-yos,having even more scraps in my stash now from Christmas projects, and seeing a block finished--it will be my motivation to work on it again...that is-if I can remember where I put it ;) Thanks for sharing!

[Amy]

Ah, great way to attach them. Now I can finish my pillow top, lol.

[charlotte]

Thanks Penny. I have so many other projects I wasn't too worried about this one. I have over 400 yo-yos made and haven't exactly decided how far to go. Like you, I will keep going for now because this is the only yo-yo quilt I will ever make.

[Gene Black]

OOoh.. I have been working on a yo-yo quilt for a bit and joining them is my least favorite part. Now I see I should be doing it on my machine!

[Sharon M.]

Penny, I was going to comment on the first post, but had our first grand baby due in November. Too busy with baby quilts! I started doing yo yo's 3 Years ago to do a coverlet for our queen size bed. I wanted to do a scrappy block surrounded by white yo yo's, all set on point. (like lattice work). I like small things, so I used the small yo yo maker that results in a yoyo about the size of a US quarter. I currently have 3000 scrappy ones and almost 500 white ones...I just couldn't get going on the "together" thing. I love the machine joining technique! Will try to get started after we get the new floor done. All the livingroom, diningroom, kitchen in laminate wood. Wish us luck! Sharon

[Karen]

Penny.........Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This looks easier than I had thought. Hopefully, I'll begin sorting into groups of 16 soon and get on with the sewing!

Thanks again!

Karen

[Anne]

THANK YOU, I am so excited to finish my quilt. And I really did not have time in November and december so your timeline worked fine for me. I think I will put down my knitting and get this project out!

[elsa]

Amazing way to put the yoyo's together! I think I'll rethink this and do some.
At the moment I'm (finally) putting together my hexagon quilt (all by hand, I might add). It's grown to an enormous size and I'm really thrilled to get it done.
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial!

[Julia S]

I have 900 yoyo's so far. On Monday my quilty friends were asking me about the yo yo along. They suggested I make a wedding dress with them, or a mantilla or an invisibility cloak (maybe this would work at a quilt show they suggested). They were having so much fun coming up with ideas for my yoyo's. But you came through for me and you can bet I'm going to tell them that we are moving ahead. I made my first "block" of yoyo's. It was quick and easy so THANK YOU. I don't know how to add a picture in Flickr but I'll check it out when I'm at that point. Love this, thanks!

[Leslie]

well.....I am soooo behind on my yo yo's! just being honest here! ha!
I am not gonna quit though, might take me (way) longer now since before I focused on other projects that had to be done (gifts, Christmas and such) but I am going to commit to doing a certain amount of yo yo's each day...I really want to make a cute project using yo yo's. Thanks for showing us how to attach them!

[Rachel at Stitched in Color]

Nice! The bartack stitch is a great way to go.

[Audrey]

I love the way you are putting them together! When I start my second one, which will be a long term project, I will join them together like this. Attaching them by hand is why it took me so long to finish my first!

[Juli]

I'm curious if this yo-yo quilt is going to be put onto a backing? Or if it's just a bunch of yo-yo's connected together! (I just started!)
Thanks!

[Jeannette Lassiter]

Where do you buy this thread?

[Suzee]

I love making yo yo''s but always hesitate to do so...simply because I have not found a technique of joining them together...I love your idea...w2g

[Josephine McGinnis]

I would love to show the picture of my yo yo quilt. It fits a king size bed and made into squares that are bordered with unbleached cotton yo yo's. Each square was put together matching the color patterns or in some cases all alike. However, I do not know how to post my picture but I wish you could see it. [email protected]

[Sinta]

I was wondering if you could use the same technique to stitch the yoyo's by machine onto backing? have you tried that at all?

[Julia Lumpkins]

Thank you Thank you Thank you I did not want to do all that connecting stuff by hand Julie L

[Dianna Gadey]

Gonna try this

[Joanne]

Thanks so much for this fabulous way of working with yo-yos ! I've just begun making them and find they are very addictive! Plus, the size I am making works so well with charm packs and the Clover Yo-Yo maker (large)! Trying to find some fun ways to use them for Christmas.

[Marny CA]

After tying off a yoyo, I run the threaded needle through the inside and out the edge. I leave a tail long enough for tacking to next yoyo.

That way, I don't have to thread another needle, make a knot ... all I have to do when ready to sew the yoyos together is to use the tail of each to sew to the next.

After the tacking, run the thread back through and tie off invisibly.

[wilma]

where do you buy this thread?

[Penny]

Hi Wilma,
You can purchase Aurifil at several online stores like PinkCastlefabrics.com. Just do a google search for Aurifil thread and you will have several places to choose from to purchase it.

[Ginny Chesonis]

I have made 2 yo yo quilts..a queen size and a twin. I backed the each with a new bed sheet and they are beautiful to look at. My problem with each of them are that many of the individual yours have popped open, even though I was careful to knot them well.very frustrating to have to make the repairs! I like the way that has been suggested to connect each yo yo with a machine bar stitch. I did all mine by hand, but if I ever do another Inwill use that method to connect them together.my queen sized one too about 2500 yoyo's a and over a year to complete. It looks pretty on the bed, but those pop-opens have led me to pack it away for now.

[Orly Cohen]

Great tip, thank you. I am planning a youo quilt for a twin bed and i want to make it black and white. Does anyone have an experience using b&w for this pattern ? Most works I saw were colorful , thanks Orly

[Sue]

This is my someday project! I have started a collection of yo-yos.

[Greta]

Beautiful! My problem is all the openings left... Have you seen or tired the square yo-yo? I haven't had the nerve to try them yet.

[Gloria]

I made a yoyo quilt a few years ago. I think it is beautiful and so do my friends and relatives. It was a lot of work but well worth it.