Gathered Blossoms
Quilters will be very familiar with yoyo quilts: small
gathered circles of scrap fabric are sewn together to make a bedcovering. Not really a quilt by formal definition,
there is no middle batting nor, usually, background fabric. Also they are a bit unwieldy to be used as a
bed quilt, more likely as an accent piece at the foot of the bed or over a
piece of furniture. The origin of the
yoyo blossom (for they were meant to resemble rosettes) well precedes 1930 scrap quilts.
In the mid 1800’s women made these small circular fabric
embellishments for lingerie trim or other lace replacements. They often adorned small pillows or were
used as floral fillers for appliquéd basket patterns. Also at this time women used manufactured rickrack, called
Vandyke Braid (also called waved braid), to produce a daisy-like flower and
often embroidered a yellow center.
This 19thC pillow was made of organdy with blossom
yoyos. Organdy is a sheer, lightweight,
plain weave cotton fabric. It is given
a crisp, permanent finish. Originally
developed in Switzerland for the Heberlein Co.
This is a small yoyo mat, 4 ½ inches square, early 20th
C.
A 1930’s yoyo quilt, 96x93 inches, with 1½ inch yoyos. There are approximately 4000 pieces of
fabric blossoms, making this a fabulous study of early 20thC fabrics. This is also the first high-quality vintage
quilt I had purchased.
Today there is a resurgence of this small flower. Craft and fabric shops feature yoyos as
trims, hair accessories and other projects.
Purchased yoyos
You can buy pre-made yoyos, yoyo kits,or make them yourself, as they are a simple
construction. Simply use a round stiff
circle for a template and stitch the cut circular fabric around the
circumference, drawing the stitching tight to make a circle which is pleated on
the front and flat on the reverse.
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