This Guy

This one right here. He's my guy and I love him more than I can say. But he loves me more. Hands down. No competition. Here's how I know. 

He's helping me make yoyos. Who does that? Who makes yoyos for no reason except...no really, no reason. The answer is this guy. He's the one. 

Did I tell you about the Great Yoyo Race that my guild is having? Everyone makes yoyos and brings them to the meetings and someone (whomever has the most) wins half the yoyos at that meeting. 

I'd like to win. Well, it would be nice to get yoyos, not just give them away. But it turns out I'm a slow yoyo maker. Even with a yoyo maker. It's just the Mary Syndrome. I can't be regular.

So this man right here is my knight with shining needle. He can keep up with me, too. I'm only making about 8-10 in a sitting. He's making about the same. We don't have a whole lot of them, but it's not like I think I'll win the first time. 

I'll have to get more adept and much faster for that to happen. I may also have to find another family member willing to wield a needle. And then I'll need another yoyo maker. 

Chances are none of those will happen. So we'll just go with whatever the two of us can churn out. 

 No matter how many we do get made, we're having fun sewing and laughing about how crazy this whole endeavor is. Because really, isn't it crazy to turn your camper table (what there is of it after drinks, snacks and bills get their share) into a sweat shop for yoyos? 

Richard celebrated his birthday today. We had dinner then cake and ice cream at the house and enjoyed visiting with Will's family. Then came home to the camper to settle in. In no time we were in pajamas, with the TV blaring (Rich can barely hear), puppies piled all around us, and the wind howling just a few feet away. It's warm and cozy and the yoyos are multiplying at the breakneck speed of a garden slug chased by a bird. 

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Y O Y O S

One more look at yoyos. I have to get my act together and need all the inspiration I can get. That craziness that I dreamed up is already chewing on my backside. I have yet to really get started making the darn things. However, I did buy "a yoyo cheater."

Really they're not difficult to make either way, but my goal is to be able to make them faster once I get used to the maker. While we were at Joann Fabrics, Richard tossed the only other available size into the buggy. That makes small, no really small, yoyos. There's no way I want to make a project with yoyos the size of a quarter. Imagine how many yoyos it would take!

How sweet would this be with white yoyos
 for the flower girl in a wedding?

Say small yoyos are too much work, and
immediately find the cutest projects!

Yoyo quilts anyone?

Need more inspiration? Go to my Pinterest board, "yoyo, projects" for lots of fun ideas.

Pin It Weekly #229

What have you been pinning? I've been pinning lots and lots of yoyos. Yoyos in wreaths. Yoyos in quilts. Yoyos on pillows. Yoyos in ornaments. Yoyos here, there, everywhere!

There's a reason for all this interest in yoyos. My guild is playing "The Great Yoyo Race." It's a game that I wrote about yesterday. You can see the game rules here.  

You can find these and about 40 other pins showing cute, fun ways to use yoyos on my Pinterest board, "yoyo, projects."

If you would like to join in with me and make some yoyos, let me know in the comments. You can make as many as you'd like: any size, any color, any shape. Use a yoyo maker or make them the old fashioned traditional way. It's all up to you. We'll just get together during the first week of each month to report on our progress. You write a post and throw in a few pictures of your yoyos and then come here to add your link to the group. 

The more people we have playing, the more fun we'll all have visiting and looking at what everyone else is doing.

Finally, if someone really wants to get in on the fun and is willing to be a yoyo partner, please email me so we can chat and plan. (mary.marcotte@gmail.com)

Letter from the President

Hahahaa, yes! President. Of our quilt guild, of course. Can't imagine taking on anything with more responsibility than this office. So yesterday was our first meeting with yours truly at the helm. Things went well. People laughed, I didn't cry, and we began and ended on time. What more can I ask for?

So we took care of the important business of planning our guild trip to the Gulf States Quilt Guild show in April. Then moved on to "The Great Yoyo Race" a game I contrived. In December I asked that anyone who had a completed project to bring them to share with the rest of the group. Then two of the members showed how to make yoyos, the traditional way and using the Clover Yoyo Maker. Once everyone knew how to make them, I explained how the game will work. 

1.) Members are to make as many yoyos as possible and bring them to the February meeting. (any size, any color, any fabric)

2.) At each meeting, everyone will count their yoyos and the person with the most yoyos wins! 

3.) As Queen of the Yoyos, the winner receives half of the yoyos that everyone else made, giving her lots of yoyos for a project.

4.) The Queen of the Yoyos is out of play until she uses her winnings in a project, which she brings to a meeting for show and share.

It's meant to be fun and competitive and to get more members involved in club activities. Everyone has a chance at winning, if she really puts her hands to work. 

I was surprised at how much time was left after the meeting finished. I could easily include a 45 minute demonstration at each meeting. That means our project coordinator will have to get to work finding people who can teach or demonstrate a technique or project. I also hope to find a member who will do a block of the month project so that we can continue to challenge members to learn new blocks. 

I was very impressed with the number of members who brought in yoyo projects. One lady brought in her grandmother's yoyo quilt that is over 100 years old. Another brought in several pillows using yoyos that she bought at flea markets. They make really sweet decorations. Another brought in a few yoyo Christmas ornaments-- trees, snowmen, and wreaths. 

In all, the meeting was lots of fun and several members complimented or thanked me after. Now if I can just remember to take a few pictures!

The out-going president slipped up behind me and said she knew she'd chosen the right person for the job. I tried to get her to take on the BOM project, but she declined. I understand quite well and will respect her wishes, but she did offer to help me in my president duties, and that I will do!