I recently have a desire to make some yo-yo's. Not really sure what I want them for but I want to try them out. Maybe just so I can start another new project :)

Anyways my question would be is there any way to make these with a sewing machine. Some sort of basting stitch or something? I really loathe hand sewing. I avoid it like the plague. Maybe I should just admire yo-yo's from a distance :(

If you can sew a cirlce, you can do it. Making a yo-yo is just like making a ruffle or any other gathered project. Lengthen you stitch and go for it.

But the Clover yo yo makers are so much fun! And, you don't have to cut out circles ahead of time -- you just snap the device over your fabric and then trim the fabric to fit.

I have the small and the extra small now, as I make minis, mostly. They are good for watching a ball game on TV, as the sewing is so repetitive.

I'd advise trying by hand first, to see how you like it.

I've never seen them done by machine. My suggestion is to learn how to make them by hand and then see how you can convert it to machine. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

That's what I use, too. You can cut squares and have it as a take-a-long project. I love the yo-yo for flowers.

I have all sizes of the Clover yo yo makers. Got them with coupons at JoAnns. The small and extra small sizes are REALLY small. I found those hard to make, but I make mostly the large size. On the packaging there is an actual size picture.

I like the clover yo yo makers. I have done it with my grandchildren. If you go to the clover web site, they have cute ideas to use them.

My quilt shop had a display with the Christmas tree, it was so cute and used all the sizes.

One Halloween, the children made spiders to hang. Two black yoyos with 3 short pieces gross grain ribbon between them for legs, eyes glued on and a thread to hang. So cute.

Jean

Like all the others said...Clover Yo Yo Makers are the only way to go. I don't like hand sewing (pain issues) but these yo yo makers are so easy to use. I made dozens of them one evening in front of the TV.

Here is a video, so you can see how easy (and perfect) they are to make.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zur9gThp-EU

I never made them til my grand daughter was in hospital for 13 days and I was 3 hrs from home with nothing to do.so we went to a fabric store and I starting making them.I have a bag full now-great hand work when out of town.they are easy to do by hand-not sure about machine tho-maybe large ones

Hmm well it sounds like I just may have to make some by hand(sigh) maybe they won't be to hard with the clover maker thing :) have any of you made the yo-yo animals?

Is using the clover tool faster than doing them by hand?

(Hand-sewing does pick up speed, with practice...)

One other thing to consider by hand vs. by machine. By hand you can use a
single thread but by machine it will be two threads and a little more tricky to
pull the thread. Just a thought. I bought the Clover yoyo makers but haven't
tried them yet.

I don't know that I would say using the Clover tool makes it go faster, but the stitches are nice and even (without any effort), so they draw up nice with even gathering.

Type Fabric yo yos into google and you will find many ideas to use them, some of them are just for fun.
I have machine sewed around the circles by zig zagging over crochet cotton and pulled the crochet cotton tight, this will work good on large ones. I used big yo yos to decorate a purse and a quilt square, using them as flowers. They are a fun thing to make and satisfies the desire to do something absolutely worthless and fun. I have seen quilt tops made with them as flowers with appliqued stems and leaves, ornaments, and whatever.
The Clover tools are great, I have one that makes heart shaped yo yos, adorable.

Carol J.

You know, you can buy these ALREADY MADE on ebay and etsy. I found that out after I had made 800 for a coverlet.....Still working on sewing them together....by hand.

I bought the jumbo oval yo yo maker. I love it! It makes great big flower petals and big leaves.

Then I would not feel that I made the quilt. It would be like buying quilt blocks and then I sew them together. But I suppose if you needed 800, slipping some in purchased would not be noticed.

Jean

Tried all day to make a yo-yo Wednesday. Never did make it come out right. Bought a Clover yo-yo maker and made six of them in no time at all on Thursday. And of course I was making small ones.

I just started making yo-yos last month and have all the Clover sizes. Joann coupons or sales for all but jumbo. I have glued them on to stretched canvas for wall art. Now I want to make really large ones, like 7" finished. Anyone done that. Check out Amy Butler yoyo quilt and see what I am aiming for. It is wild.

I made a 14" one and stuffed it with a round pillow form. Gathered it up to make it fit around the form. I used 1/4" ribbon as the thread making a bow to hold it closed. Very nice for pretty bed pillows.

I have made a bunch of yo yo dogs. I did the yo yo's on the sewing machine - that is the way the pattern called to do it. The edge was not turned under but the way it is put together with elastic the raw edge does not show. I didn't find it hard to do at all. Have plans to do a lion and monkey at some point in time.

the greatest thing about yo-yo's is using the clover yo-yo maker and the (PROCESS OF MAKING THEM!) they are just--- a joy to make--
relaxing, kind of neat when you pull those threads and ...i don't know- it's just one of those (processes) that when you make your first couple yo=yo's you are good with making a couple hundred--they go fast- and it is just ...
a machine would sure ruin that for me-
you aught to give them a try before taking the machine route.

ckcowl! I am sure they would be fun to make by hand :) But I was hoping the machine route would be faster! I have a 4 year old little boy and I watch a 3 year old and 7 year old about 12 hours a day. And then of course I have a hubby that wants some of my time as well :) I just have so many things I want to do and not the time to do it! LOL But I haven't totally given up the idea to do them by hand :)

DiamondRose: What pattern are you using? How do you make them by machine?

I am using Simplicity patterns.

#2708 has instructions for a dog, clown, owl, doll & caterpillar.

#G2441 has instructions for a monkey, lion, & hippo.

I don't know how other animals are made but these patterns have padding inside the yo yo. The outside fabric circle is cut twice as big as the padding. You will center the padding on top of the fabric circle and stitch (through all layers) around the area you are going to cut to feed the elastic through then you gather your yo yo.

Here is a picture of the first dog I made.

I am making the caterpillar using the Clover jumbo yoyo maker.

So cute! Thanks for the pattern info! I love the puppy. My son would love one of these! I am definitely adding it to the list of to-dos :)

http://sewing.about.com/library/sewn.../aamach11b.htm

How to sew yo yo by machine.

I got all the Clover templates to make just the cicrle yo-yos. been thinking about getting Clovers heart template. does anyone have the heart maker.

I have the heart yo yo maker, but I haven't tried it yet.