Yo Yo Ornaments – FREE Patterns.

Yo Yo tree on white felt background

What is a Yo Yo?

A Yo Yo is a cut out a circle of fabric that is gathered together around the edges with thread and pulled tight to make a tight circle.

Using Yo Yos for Holiday Decorations

I have seen Yo Yos since I was a little kid. I do recall that either I or one of my kids had one of the clowns made from the Yo Yos.

I have been saving Yo Yo ideas from Pinterest for a year. I have decided to make the Yo Yo projects for Christmas. Some of the Yo Yo projects have “Christmas Colors” and others have colors that my friends and family like.

What ever color you like is fine for your holiday tree, gift decorations for anytime of year or holiday.

I like to have a Christmas tree, but because of my cats who are young still, I opted out of a tree the year I made these Yo Yos. Instead I made a tree of Yo Yos. I have no cats after July , so for Christmas 2015 I will have a fake tree in my bedroom. Yay!

For all the patterns here I have pins at Pinterest. You can see these Yo Yos and more Christmas crafts at my Pinterest account.

7 Yo Yo Wreaths with buttons attached with embroidery floss

How I made my Yo Yos

I cut out a circle of paper using a standard CD for the larger Yo Yo and a smaller circle with a top to a jar for a smaller Yo Yo. I traced the circle on cardboard to make a permanent pattern. With the cardboard pattern on the material, I traced around the circle with a felt tip pen.

I folded the material in fourths and pinned it tight and cut out the four circles.

You can do it any way you desire to cut out your circles. After you have cut your circles you are then ready to start sewing them into Yo Yo’s.

One hem instead of two

Because I am planning on having a button or other embellishment on top of my Yo Yo’s it was not necessary to make a hem to close the raw edges of the material first.

If you are making a quilt with no backing you will need to make the hem first before you gather the circle so you have no raw edges. With a hem that closes the raw edges make it easier for the gathers to be adjusted to leave either a tight opening or a small opening that you can insert another colored piece of material.

Detailed instructions in photos

Two sizes of circles – The green circle is from the CD size pattern and the red circle is from a jar top

Fold over 1/4 inch of material for the double hem and or sew with a double thread around 1/4 inch from the edge of the circle

Tighten the thread to close the circle and tie a knot.

Pull edges until the circle is flat. Your Yo Yo is now ready to add to others for your project.

Some of the over 100 Yo Yo’s I made

How to make a 7 or 8 Yo Yo Wreath

8 Yo Yo Wreaths – overlapping the Yo Yos on the backing

• I made the template for the background by cutting out a paper pattern of the finished small Yo Yos.
• I cut 8 of those circles and arranged them on the paper as you see here.
• I drew on the outside of the circles to make the background for the wreaths.
• I cut that background out and laid it on the white felt. I then cut out the felt background.
• I attached the Yo Yos with pins until I was happy with the arrangement.
• I tacked down each of the Yo Yos with six strand embroidery floss. I then added a button with six strand floss and tied the floss in a bow.
• I trimmed the floss and then cut out the circle of felt in the center of the wreath.
• I added a six strand of floss as a hanger for each wreath.

How I made the 8 Yo Yo wreaths

Following the same steps above I added 8 circles to the paper and then made that background. I added the 8 Yo Yos and buttons as the same as above.

Assembly of Yo Yo trees and Wreaths

8 Yo Yo Wreaths – overlapping the Yo Yos on the backing

The Yo Yo Tree

Get your glue gun out!

After I made some of the Yo Yo projects I decided that Instead of sewing the buttons I would use a mini glue gun. It is a difficult job to do this when you are legally blind, so my daughter suggested that we get a “low temperature” glue gun. I am glad they made the low temperature glue guns as when I used a regular glue gun 20 years ago, I continually burned myself.

I did better with the addition of a bamboo chopstick as a holder so my fingers would not be close to the hot glue. I added the buttons on with the glue gun. I also used the glue to tack the Yo Yo’s on that were loose or not secured as well.

The glue will leave thin strips of glue that look like thread or hair. After the glue is dry, just pull off these strands.

Finishing your Yo Yo projects

Lastly add the hangers for the ornaments and the tree wall hangings. I made a hanger with six strands of floss for the larger heavy items and some thinner gold thread for the small ornaments.

Here are a few of the Yo Yo Projects I made

Candy Cane – cut out the felt around the Yo Yo’s to make a backing for this ornament

Each tree had a wooden embellishment like this one with the snowman

If you make an error with the glue use the hot metal nose of the glue gun to “unglue” or remelt the glue and reposition and glue again. That is what I had to do with this tree and others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sherry Atbutterfly enjoys crafting with Plastic Canvas and yarn to make all kinds of decorations and fun items for the home. Many of her craft articles feature detailed tutorials and lengthy instructions. This is what she loves to do, She is a teacher. She is also involved with Early American History, Family History and genealogy. Sherry is legally blind.