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A Stitcher's Garden |
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A plain linen guest towel comes alive
with the addition of a floral border and easy-to-make yo-yo flowers.
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Materials
• Contrasting fabric for hem*
• Purchased linen towel
• Piping
• Small amounts of assorted fabric for yo-yos
• Covered buttons
• The Gentle Art embroidery floss in “Mistletoe”
*For featured towel, contrasting hem fabric is 7" x 14 1/2".
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The idea of embellishing sewing creations with yo-yos has given many a stitcher pause. While the actual stitching of a yo-yo is easy enough for a child to accomplish, the preparation can be daunting. Determining the measurement of the circles, trimming the fabric precisely and stitching evenly around it can take a lot of the joy out of any project! With the Clover “Quick” Yo-Yo Maker, even a beginner can finish a yo-yo in minutes by following just a few simple steps. Better yet, the Clover Yo-Yo Maker comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Now it’s easy to stitch yo-yos in the shape of hearts and flowers, as well as the familiar circles—in both large and small sizes.
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Instructions
Making Yo-Yos using the Clover “Quick” Yo-Yo Maker
1. Cut a piece of fabric about 1" larger than disk. Place disk onto wrong side of fabric.
2. Carefully align holes on plate and disk. (Note: Lines on disk correspond with protrusions on plate for easy alignment.) Press disk onto plate.
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3. Trim fabric, leaving a 1/8" to 3/16" seam allowance from edge of plate.
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4. Fold seam allowance toward disk, holding it with your fingers as you stitch. Using a short needle with knotted thread, insert needle from disk side through plate. Bring needle back up through plate and down through disk, continuing counterclockwise around yo-yo. Stitch carefully through holes to make sure disk can be removed easily.
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5. When stitching is complete around yo-yo, stitch through beginning hole once more to secure ends of seam. Push needle through to disk side, but do not remove needle or knot thread at this point.
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6. Push disk from plate side to remove it from plate.
7. Remove disk from cloth by lifting the seam.
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8. Pull thread tightly to close yo-yo.
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9. Make a knot. Run needle through yo-yo to hide knot. Clip thread.
10. Form yo-yo into shape with gathering in center. Add button to center if desired.
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Towel
1. Trim one hemmed end from purchased towel.
2. Prepare contrasting hem: Narrow hem edges of fabric to fit towel measurements. Press.
3. Insert contrasting color thread in bobbin. With 1/2" seam allowance, stitch bias to contrasting hem.
4. Place bias-trimmed hem on flat surface right side up, with trim to the top.
5. Place edge of towel on hem with right side down, matching raw edges. Pin edges together.
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6. Roll towel toward pinned edge. Stop when the towel reaches the middle of the hem fabric.
7. Wrap the contrasting hem fabric around rolled towel. Pin raw edge of contrasting hem along previously pinned edge. This joins together both sides of contrasting hem and lower edge of towel.
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8. Straight stitch along previous stitching line which attached bias to contrasting hem. Note: Because contrasting bobbin thread was used, it is easy to see exactly where to stitch.
9. Pull towel from either open end of hem tube. Press.
10. Attach fabric yo-yos to towel. With 2 strands of The Gentle Art floss in “Mistletoe” embroider stems (stem stitch) and leaves (fly stitches worked closely together). Sew covered buttons to centers of flowers.
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See CN May/June ’08 for additional projects using yo-yos and this decorative border.
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CLICK HERE for a printer-friendly pdf of towel instructions.
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