An interesting article at STLtoday.com’s lifestyle section, Family Heirlooms Make This House a Home, by Susan Fadem with photos by Laurie Skrivan, describes decorating with old quilts. 

 There’s a framed yo-yo quilt, made from flour sacks, by a great-grandmother.  This quilt originally was cut into three pieces so that each child could have a piece.  Then it was cut into thirds again before being framed.

Another inherited quilt is draped across the bed.

These along with antique family furniture will give you ideas that you can use with your quilts and fabric art.

How have you used quilts for your decorating?

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Tips for Decorating with Your Old Quilts

She has a poll where you can vote and help her decide what to do?

What fun…to help someone else with their design challenges!

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Quilters – Chloe Needs Your Help With Her Yo-Yo Christmas Wreath

Chloe, at Tangled Thread, has created a unique Christmas tree yo-yo, actually five threaded together with a gold loop at the top.  Check this out and learn what you can do, too.

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Yo-Yo Ornaments – a Fun Project for Quilters

She’s got some great ideas for fall decorating and links to some previous posts with holiday yo-yo themes.  It’s also not too early to start creating your Christmas gifts and decorations.

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The Subject of Yo-Yo’s in Quilting & Decorating Again

Yo-yo’s are those fascinating shirred circles, which quilters now are creating in a variety of shapes.    You can use yo-yo’s for quilts, tablecloths, clothing, Christmas chains, toys, hangings, and to decorate fabric art.

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Unique Yo-Yo Quilting Templates

Yo-yo’s always seem so popular whenever I mention them or I find them on other quilting and crafting sites.  These little shirred circles can be used for so many projects and have been around for ages. 

Noreen Crone-Findlay,  at Hankering for Yarn, always has some yo-yo ideas to share with us, too.  Here she shows us how to make a yo-yo circle.

 I wonder how someone first discovered they could make yo-yo’s.  Was it by accident or done deliberately?

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Discover Heart-Shaped Yo-Yo’s

If you have, or can obtain, the March issue of this magazine, you’ll find more information on Gathered Yo-Yo Flowers in the “Quiltmakers’ Workshop” portion.

Have fun making these lovely yo-yo flowers.  Perhaps this will bring back memories of quilting with your grandmother, as it does with some people.

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Yo-Yo Flowers – a New Twist on an Old Technique for Quilters

These decorative shirred circles can be used by themselves…with loop of yarn or trim attached…as decorations for your tree.  They can be sewn together in a chain.  Or they can be stitched to other items…such as pillows, tote bags, vests (see Noreen’s ideas), scarves, hats, headbands for decorative effect.

They also can be sewn together, as quilters in the 1920s and ’30s did, to make quilts, spreads, and table cloths.

To make a Yo-Yo:  Cut a circle from cotton or cotton-blend fabric, 4, 5 or 6-inches in diameter, depending on the size you want your decorations.  Some quilters make mini yo-yo’s and cut even smaller circles.  I find the 6-inch circle is a convenient size, especially if you’re making yo-yo’s with your children.

Turn under a tiny hem, just slightly less than 1/4 inch, to the wrong side.  Children will need this pinned down before they start sewing.  Adults usually can turn as they sew. You also can press the hem, if you find that works best.

Take a double thread with knot in the end.  Then make basting size stitches around the hem.  Gather the fabric as you go. 

When you’ve finished sewing and gathering, you’ve gathered your circle into a double circle with small hole in the center of the front.  Take a few stitches to secure your thread.  For decorative effect on Christmas decorations, sew a pretty button or sequin in the center over the hole.

One hint:  Do not gather with tiny quilting stitches.  This will leave a large hole in the center.  Basting stitches will gather the circle tighter so there’s only a small hole left.

This is a good way to use up scraps of fabric.  For Christmas decorations, use Christmas fabrics and colors.

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Making Yo-Yo Quilts & Decorations for the Holidays

Eleanore, one of my readers, wondered if anyone knew where she could get a pattern for a yo-yo animal ornament.  She received one of these ornaments and would like to make something similar.  If anyone has the source of a pattern

There is a pattern for a yo-yo wreath online at eHow.com  that fabric artists might find of interest.

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Search for Yo-Yo Ornament Pattern