Yo-Yo Wall Art

Inspired by "Gather 'Round" from designer Lesley Mehmen

Quiltmaker: Jill Abeloe Mead

• 130--5" squares assorted prints (yo-yos)
• 16x20" prestretched and primed cotton artist's canvas
• Light orange acrylic paint and paintbrush
• Staple gun
• Glue gun (optional)

Click on "Download this Project" for Circle Pattern.

From each assorted print, cut:

• 1 of Circle Pattern

Thread a needle with matching or neutral thread and tie a knot about 6" from end. With an assorted print circle facedown, turn raw edge of circle a scant 1/4" toward circle center. Take small, evenly spaced running stitches (Running Stitch Diagram) near folded edge (Photo 1). To make a running stitch, pull the needle up at A and insert it back into the fabric at B, 1/8" away from A. Pull your needle up at C, 1/8" away from B. End stitching next to the starting point; do not cut thread. Gently pull thread ends to gather folded edge until it forms a gathered circle (Photo 2).

Knot thread ends to make a yo-yo. Trim thread. Repeat to make 130 yo-yos total.

1. Lay out yo-yos in 13 rows of 10 each. Position some of the yo-yos right side up and others wrong side up as desired. When pleased with the arrangement, whipstitch yo-yos together in each row (Photo 3). Join rows in same manner to make yo-yo rectangle. (If desired, instead of whipstitching yo-yos together, position them on canvas and use a glue gun to secure them in place.)

2. Paint canvas and let dry. Position yo-yo rectangle on canvas and use a staple gun to attach outer edges of rectangle to frame of canvas.