How to Finish a Yo-Yo Quilt
The yo-yo quilt is assembled from multiple yo-yos of the same size. The small gathered circles of fabric are arranged in rows, blocks or other patterns and stitched together by hand to form a quilt in any size desired. Traditional yo-yo quilts have no backing, making them a more open and decorative coverlet. When you make a yo-yo quilt, since each row ends with an individual yo-yo’s rounded side, the quilt has an edge that resembles a scallop. You can choose to finish your yo-yo quilt by adding a backing or decorative border to your design.
Instructions
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Add a Backing
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1
Purchase a flat sheet that's large enough to back the quilt without seaming.
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2
Lay the sheet out on your bed or a large, flat surface and place the quilt on top, centering it on the sheet.
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3
Trim the sheet to fit the quilt, allowing 1 inch of extra fabric on each side for a seam.
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4
Double fold each edge to create a hem and stitch the hem on a sewing machine.
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5
Place the sheet hem side up on your surface and lay the quilt on top again.
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6
Hand-stitch each yo-yo through the center to the sheet.
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7
Stitch a row of straight stitches by hand along the outside edges of the sheet to secure to the quilt. Run the stitches through the underside of the yo-yo so that they're not obvious.
Add a Border
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8
Examine the color palette that you used in your yo-yo quilt and select a coordinating color to create additional yo-yos for a border. For example, if you have a multicolor quilt, make yo-yos in a solid coordinating color or use white or black yo-yos as a border for the quilt.
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9
Make as many yo-yos in the border color fabric as will be needed to surround the entire edge of the quilt. You may want to add two or three rows of border, making each row in a different shade of the border color or a different solid color.
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10
Stitch the yo-yos individually onto the edges of the quilt, creating a border as wide as you like.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If you're backing a small quilt, you can use coordinating fabric instead of a flat sheet to back the quilt.
Add a layer of batting between the yo-yo quilt and the backing sheet, if desired, for additional warmth. Be sure to use a batting that has a finished surface, since it will be visible through the holes between the yo-yos. Consider using a layer of fleece or wool.
As an alternative to the traditional style of yo-yo quilt, which uses the gathered side of the yo-yo as the right side, turn the quilt over and use the flat side to show more of the fabric patterns.
