Suffolk Puffs

I don’t do an awful lot of sewing, mainly quilts but I do really enjoy it. I recently bought myself a Clover Yo Yo maker, which is an American term for something I know as Suffolk Puffs.

Suffolk Puffs are a very old technique which goes back to the 17th Century when they were made from scraps and worn out clothing and turned into quilts. As the name suggests they were originally associated with Suffolk and sometimes you will see them layered and decorated with a button.

They are a great way to use up left over bits of fabric or spare fat quarters. All you do is clip the fabric between the two circular discs and sew in and out of the holes that are marked. When you have gone all around the circle, you unclip the discs and gently pull the fabric into pleats. I found that gradually easing the pleats around to the point you started from gave the neatest Puffs. Then finish off with a knot.

A lot of the quilts on Pinterest show the Puffs in straight lines but then you need a backing fabric. I think I am going to lay them out so they are quite dense like in this picture. The only thing is I think I am going to need thousands of them, but then I do have quite a stash of fabric, and they are very addictive.

I’d love to see your puffs if you decide to give them a try.