Old Time Crafts
A replica Yo-Yo Doll from times past
The fabric yo-yo craft can be traced back to civil war time. I have seen some items featured on the Antique Roadshow. It was the use of the smallest scrap of fabric for re-purposing. My Dad’s sister, Coreenia, introduced them to me when I was a small child, spending time at my grandparents’ farm. I put the craft aside until my children’s father and I lived in Riesel, Texas and I had time on my hands.
Pundt’s store in Riesel handled dry goods. When they got lengths of fabric mill ends in, they always trimmed them before putting them out for sale. I only needed enough fabric that was equal to the size of a cereal bowl when tipped upside down. It didn’t take long and I was tracing out circles of that size in various fabric prints. I did make a circular lap robe out of them and it was tucked away.
Years later when we lived at South Branch in Watonwan County I got it out and put the yo-yos on a quilted backing. In the recent past I couldn’t resist doing a few more yo-yos and reproducing a doll that was often a part of children’s toys in times past.
Ah, yes, this is what Me, Myself and Memories is all about.