Tutorial : Yo Yos & Suffolk Puffs

This tutorial is really simple, perfect to fill a couple of hours with the little ones this Easter holiday! It will show you how to make a Yo Yo, which is also known as a Suffolk Puff. They can be used to customise clothes or to decorate a special present and they also look really sweet as little flower brooches with a lovely button in the middle. If children do want to help you make these then they could draw the circles onto the fabric and help choose the buttons for the centres.

To make some you will need a selection of small pieces of fabric, needle and thread and a selection of buttons.

Use something circular to draw circles onto the back of your fabric. I use a roll of sellotape to make finished Yo Yos that are about 5cms/2inches across. Cut out your circles.

Use a matching thread to sew a running stitch all the way around the edge of your circle. I’ve used a red thread so that you can see where my stitches are.

Once you have got back to the start of your stitches, pull on the thread to gather the circle. Keep pulling until the edges of the circle meet one another in the middle.

Adjust your Yo Yo so that it lies flat and the fabric is evenly distributed around the circle. Once you are happy with the overall shape, pop a few stitches across the middle, from one side of the fabric to the other so that the shape stays put.

Pick a lovely button to go in the middle and stitch it into place in the middle of your gathered circle. Use the same piece of thread that is still attached to your work, this will make your finished Yo Yo both strong and neat.

Now you can experiment with using different fabrics and buttons and layering them together! Try using a floaty silk or even hessian for a rustic look.

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