"Yo-Yo Flowers" Mini Prayer Flag - Part 2

Now that your flower is made, the next step is to make the flower centers!  The flower centers are made with LOTS of French Knots.  To do this you need to use a linen type fabric.  I like to work with a piece about 4" square.  Draw 3-4 circles using a pencil about the size of a nickel.  Leave at least 3/4" between each of the circles and the edge of the fabric also.  You can either start in the center or work from the outside edge into the center. Does not matter.  You just have the completely fill the circle.  It is best to use Size 5 or Size 3 Pearl Cotton Embroidery thread as it will fill the circle faster.  I use a Chenille #22 or #20 Needle.

Wrap the needle either 2-3 times depending on the size of the thread.

After all the French Knots are finished, using the same thread, make a running stitch around the outside edge of the knot center, about 1/8" - 1/4" outside the circle, then cut the circle out about 1/8" - 1/4" from the running stitch.  Do not cut the thread.

Pull the thread tight and push the raw edges down so they don't stick up so much.  

Do not cut the thread.

Stitch back and forth across the raw edges to push the raw edges down even more.  Knot at the end.  Do not cut the thread.

Using the same thread, stitch straight through into the velvet yo-yo.  Next come up into the edge of the French Knots, making sure you are in the linen fabric.  Take tacking stitches around the edge of the French Knot center to attach it to the Yo-Yo.  Knot on the back and NOW you can cut the thread!

Draw a wavy line (stem) from each Yo-Yo flower.  Stitch a Stem stitch for each of the stems.

Add as many tiny flowers as you would like at the bottom.

Add a Rayon Ribbon trim to the top and bottom of the little flag.  Just scrunch the ribbon a bit and stitch on a button to hold it in place.

Add a backing fabric (trim down) and stitch along the edges.  To attach the layers together, stitch tiny seed stitches (tiny straight stitches) in a very random pattern.

Your little Prayer Flag should be done now!  I hope you have enjoyed my postings about my embellishments.  I adore embellishing and just playing with threads and unusual fabrics.

Leave a comment on this post, as well as the last post, by Sunday, December 4th, for your chance to win a kit to make your own Prayer Flag!  The winner will be announced on Monday!

Good Luck!

"Yo-Yo Flowers" Mini Prayer Flag - Part 1

"Yo-Yo Flowers"

Susan Edmonson

Hey Ladies!  I am thrilled to be in this group of such talented artist!  However you guys are much more techie than I am, so I hope I can get this done right so you can all see it.  I'll give you a brief introduction of myself.  I live in Concord, NC close to Charlotte, married for nearly 39 years and have two sons, two daughter-in-laws and one sweet little 2 yr. old grandson.  I'm hoping for more of the latter!

Most of the work I do is embellished in a whimsical way.  I LOVE to embroider by hand, not machine!  I am a Bernina Girl through and through..... I just got another little 350PE Tula Edition to travel with.  I already had one other DragonFly 350, but felt I needed a backup for the other backups!  Yes, many machines. :)

The project I would like to share is dear to my heart and totally expresses all of my loves (well most).  I have been teaching for over 26 years and this has been one of my very favorite classes.  It is one little Prayer Flag from a series of many other little ones that can be strung together with ribbons.  I also am very much a natural fiber girl, cotton, linen, wool, silk, etc.  So all of my parts are one of these fibers or I probably don't use it.

I hope you enjoy this and they are great gifts as it is getting close to the Holidays!

For the give-away I have for you a kit of this project and a little hanger and the threads I use to embroider with.  I love the Painter's Threads Pearl Cottons!

Step 1:  Background

Cut a background fabric in a slightly weird rectangle about 4 1/2" x 6" or so.  I use Cotton Organdy that has been hand dyed, but not by my hands, Fiber On A Whim's hands.  Next cut a piece of Quilter's Dream Fusion Batting Request weight slightly smaller than the background fabric.  Note:  If you haven't tried this fusible batting it is AWESOME!  I use it for all my quilting on my Bernina 820, not a long arm though.  Fuse the batting to the back of the fabric.  This is the stabilizer.  There will be another fabric placed on the back later after all the stitching is completed.  Lay this aside for now.

Step 2:  Yo-Yo Flowers

Cut 3 circles 2 - 2 1/2" diameter from silk/rayon hand dyed velvet, again not by my hands, Hanna Silks.

To make this easy cut a square and just round off the corners.  Does not have to be perfect.

Stitch a running stitch along the edge of the circle about 1/8" from the raw edge.  Do not hem the edge.

Once you have stitched around the circle then pull the thread tight and smooth the shape with your thumb.  Knot it close to the fabric.  Take the needle to the back of the yo-yo through the center and sew it to the background.  Do this for all three yo-yo's and then draw the wiggle stems on the background fabric.

For another Yo-Yo option you could make petals.  To do this when you take the thread to the back of the yo-yo, knot the thread.  Next, wrap the thread from underneath over the outside edge and take the thread back through the center.  Knot the thread again.  Repeat this however many times you like.  See the pics below.

Attach the flower to the background fabric.  Sew the flower in the center just to hold it on.  Next stitch Pistil Stitches (French Knot with a tail) around the edge of the velvet flower.