Yo-yo Flowers

I've been seeing "yo-yo flowers" every where lately.  Since crafting doesn't come naturally to me, I had no idea how to make them.  I wanted to know how difficult it would be, so I did a quick google search.

I found this great video which made it look really easy.  After watching this, I had to give it a try.

Let me tell you before I show you the flowers that I am NOT good at sewing.  If there are sewing rules, I don't know them.  I make up my own technique as I go, but here is how I made the yo-yo flowers.  (I made many of them, so the fabric varies in the photos.)

First I traced a mug or a glass onto the back of fabric with a crayon or fabric pencil so that I would have a perfect circle.  I used a few different size cups to see what difference it would make in the size of the finished product.

 I cut out my circles.

Then beginning on the inside of your fabric start the basic running stitch--in and out.

Keep stitching all the way around.  It will start pulling together and folding so it looks a bit like an empty sack.  

Keep going all around until you've stitched your whole circle and pull the thread tight, closing the empty sack up.  

This is what it will look like when you've pulled the thread tight.  

And now you're ready to sew a button on.  This is where I have no rules.  I just try to make sure I sew it through the fabric in several places and make sure it is on nice and tight.  There are so many different styles of button, and I like to try various kinds.  

I just love this craft because it is completely easy.  If I can do it, anyone can.  I feel so accomplished making these pretty flowers, and it only takes a few minutes.  I've made several already and plan to make many more.  

So what am I planning to do with all the yo-yo flowers?  Here are a few ideas:

You can sew a barrette on to small ones for a cute hair accessory.  

Or you could sew a pin on for a little yo-yo flower brooch.  I used the bigger flowers for this.  I think it would be great to add to a fall scarf.  

And my favorite idea is to take a yo-yo flower pin and use it to decorate a gift.  You can pin it on a ribbon, and it makes a package look just adorable.  Plus it's like a second gift since the recipient can wear it later.   

So that's the latest craft I've been doing.  What crafting have you been up to?