Yay! I've got the go ahead to share my yoyo quilt that won 2nd place in the Modern Traditionalism category at the Modern Quilt Show Australia.



I'm pleased to introduce Yo Yos a la Mode.


I've always loved yoyos aka suffolk puffs. They're such fun happy little things, and while I vintage yoyo quilts make my heart smile I felt it was about time to give them a modern makeover. My show blurb explains:

I felt sorry for the humble yoyo that is often perceived as old fashioned and boring so I set out to show they do have a modern side. I dressed them in bold colours, sewed them in half, and half again and served them up on a low volume background, Voila - Yoyos a la Mode!! 


YoYos a la Mode isn't only about the individual yoyos but the patterns and shapes they create as a whole. At first I played with organised layouts but then found the more random placement made this quilt more dynamic. Like pieces of a puzzle, the shapes seem to shift from circles to squares and back to circles again. I do have plans for a quilt with more structured layouts using the same ideas so stay tuned for those. 

 Upon closer inspection the spaces in between the yoyos also play an integral part. some of which reveal fussy cut snippets, others have geometric prints.

The back of the quilt is a mix of fabrics that just seemed to go together.


I often think my quilts have more exciting lives than I do. Not only did YoYos a la Mode get to be part of the Modern Quilt Show but the pattern for this quilt will appear in Quilter's Companion magazine #74, which is on sale in July. I'm looking forward to seeing how they've styled and photographed it. You can check out their facebook for more info about the magazine. Update: The magazine details are in this post .
So there you go , that's my modern yoyo quilt. What do you think, have I achieved my aim to prove that yoyos can be big, bold and striking and not just “old fashioned and boring” ?

 Update: The magazine details are in this post .