Yoyo Quilt Gets Recycled
A friend gave me a yoyo quilt she thinks was made by her aunt in the 1930’s as a child. The friend disparaged the terrible construction of the quilt with circles all different sizes, stitching very rough and the use of extra thick buttonhole thread. She knew I like to make small things and she hoped I would find enough fabric in the quilt to be useful (!!!) Although the quilt overall appeared to be in bad shape, this was due to a few torn out yoyos where the stitching had ripped the fabric apart. The fabrics were rather lightweight, and the thread much too strong. The fabrics were generally in good condition, and though I didn’t need a torn yoyo quilt in my life (in any case not my favourite pattern) I do adore the 1930’s patterned fabric. Therefore…
Snipping
I divided the quilt into three piles of Yoyos. Two friends helped separate the circles.
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Washing
The circles got washed in batches of like colours.
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Pressing
Then the circles were pressed flat, while trying to re-align the straight of the grain.
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Making Squares
The colours are bright and cheerful, and the fabric is in good condition though rather light weight. The reproduction 1930’s prints made nowadays use more robust material.
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Arranging Patterns
36 little one-inch squares – hmmm what fun to arrange them in different ways!
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Admiring the results
Quimper Hittys 
Oh! How very, very lovely! I admire your desire and ability to recycle those lovely fabrics in this particular project, create something very beautiful for the Quimper Hittys and then share the bounty with us….it brought lots of smiles to me, especially seeing Tansy hanging them out….what a great way to start the day!
I am loathe to throw handmade things away if they can be re-used, but was almost overcome by this one, there were so many problems with it! I can see that if it was made by a child, the mother must have kept it with that special “gummy lump” love (to quote Robert Fulghum). Since it didn’t have that poignancy to me I could be quite ruthless about it, and it made a perfect recycling project…Lucky Hittys.
Oh! I LOVE these! Erin 🙂
Thanks very much – it has been a really fun project, but I wouldn’t have even started if there hadn’t been potential in the fabrics which were basically sound…the Hittys really are nagging me to make more, you know how that is.
These tiny quilts are very nice – I like it that you’ve reused the old fabrics, which do have lovely colors and patterns.
Since my job at work is to preserve old textiles, I find it is extra fun to be able to dismantle and remake things on my own projects!
Beautiful quilts!!!
Thank you! Now only ten more to go!
You have inspired me! I have a couple of old family quilts that are not usable for the present family. Maybe I could take one of them apart and make something lovely from them! I don’t know if I have the patience that you do though, to make such lovely patterns with such teeny, tiny pieces.
I find it soothing to take things apart, and re-assemble them…but I know some people don’t enjoy it.
Kjerstin, that was a wonderful idea and the quilts turned out BEAUTIFUL! Loved seeing what you did with the old textiles.
I was pleased with the way they turned out, I think there will be a few more quilts to come – there were around 800 circles!
the tiny quilts are lovely. How very clever of you to reuse the fabric in such a way. And what talent to make them so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing, goodness is there anything you can[t make.?!
I really had a lot of fun doing this project, and I like sharing the pictures! Lots of things I can’t do, lots and lots! Crochet is a total mystery to me, for instance.
It’s so nice to see the Hitty Quilts all hung out to dry. And I love that fabric in Tansy’s apron.
Tansy enjoys laundry and wouldn’t be doing housework without a nice big apron.
The quilts are beautiful! Looking forward to viewing the other ten!
I knew you would appreciate them!