Tutorial: Making a Heart Shaped Yoyo

A heart shaped yoyo is made very much like a round yoyo. The main difference si that it begins with a hearth shaped template. The finished yoyo will be half as wide and half as tall as the template. For a two-inch (2"x2") yoyo, you'll need to start with a four-inch (4"x4") heart.




Instructions:

1. trace around the template directly onto the wrong side of your yoyo fabric and cut out the fabric heart.

2. You'll be working with two strands of thread, one on each side of the heart. A strong thread, like a hand quilting thread, is best for this, but this time I substituted and used a double strand of medium weight thread.

3. Begin at the top center of the heart and work down one side only. Fold the fabric over 1/4" and baste with a long basting stitch. Work from the top center of the heart to the bottom center. Leave 2"-3" tails at either end. 

4. Use a second length of thread to baste the opposite side of the heart. Again, leave tails at top and bottom.

5. Starting at the top, begin gathering the fabric to form nice round curves at the top of the heart.  

6. Take both strands of thread at the bottom of the heart and gather from the bottom up. Adjust gathers as you go to keep the heart shape attractive.

7. Pull all threads tightly into the center of the heart so that there is little or no gap where the gathers come together.

8. Thread a large eyed needle with all threads. Making sure that your heart is centered and has a nice shape, push the needle through to the back of the yoyo. Pull tightly. With the same thread, make another stitch that goes up through front and down again through the back. Make a knot, tie off, and trim the thread.

9. Attach a button to the center of the heart. I like to catch some of the gathers in the stitches as I do this.

Done!!