Showing posts with label mobile. Show all posts

diy: felt bird mobile


I have always loved birds. To me they represent freedom... flying free toward dreams... and always a symbol of calm and peace. It was natural for me to incorporate them into my little girl's nursery, beginning with a freshly painted, antique, yellow bird cage. I had long drooled over the many handmade mobiles on Etsy, and knew I could create the perfect feeling of freedom and peace for my little one with some scrap felt and yarn.



The process was simply, and took only a few hours to complete (over the course of many, many weeks). I stitched together hand-drawn, felt birds, stuffed them with batting, and strung them from an embroidery hoop wrapped with yarn.


The mobile hangs freely from a Command hook on the ceiling, and both hoops are adjustable in height. Adaleigh has loved the birds from the day I hung them in her nursery, which makes it all so worth it. After looking at mobiles for $100+, I'm quite pleased with the results!


Easy DIY felt bird mobile

 Supplies:

scissors
embroidery thread (in contrasting colors)
needle
felt (I used solid colors for the birds, and contrasting patterns for the wings)
yarn
embroidery hoop (I used 2 in different sizes to create a 2-tiered mobile)
ceiling hook (the Command stick hook has worked great and no tools needed!)


Step 1: cut desired shape from felt
Step 2: if creating birds, attach wings to felt birds using a backstich with contrasting embroidery thread
Step 3: attach two birds together using a blanket stitch around the edges. Just prior to completing the round, stuff with batting and finish stitching to complete the bird
Step 4: string yarn through the top of the birds and tie off, leaving plenty of yard to attach birds to hoop
Step 5: wrap yarn around hoop and tie off with birds at desired length from hoop
Step 6: after all birds are attached to the hoop, wrap yarn around the hoop. Conceal any tails from the previous step while wrapping
Step 7: if creating a second tier, wrap yarn around the additional hoop
Step 8: string yarn around hoops to hang from ceiling
Step 9: assemble hook to ceiling
Step 10: attach mobile to hook and let the birds fly!
diy mobile nursery
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diy airplane mobile

Logan's nursery redo is almost complete, and I wanted to share one of the projects I am most proud of.  I never found a mobile I liked in my price range, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make one myself. It was simple, quick, and cost less than $5. Best of all, Logan loves it! The primary colors and spinning airplanes always catch his attention.

Here is the completed mobile, followed by step-by-step instructions (although it's pretty self-explanatory):



I started with MDF cutouts bought at Hobby Lobby. I bought 6 for less than $3! I wish I had taken a before picture of the planes, because they were an interesting pink/baby blue/neon green combination.


I painted each plane in a red/blue/yellow theme, using acrylic craft paint I already owned. I followed the original design, and painted several coats until I achieved the bold look I wanted. I chose to paint the back a solid blue for simplicity.


Once the planes were painted and dry, I used a small nail and hammer to create a hole in each plane. I placed the holes at the top just behind the wing, allowing the planes to fly straight once suspended. 



I also purchased a pack of simple wooden rods from Hobby Lobby and used white twine I already owned to suspend the planes. I used the twine to tie the rods together in a star pattern, and then used a piece of twine from the end of each rod to hang the planes. I left the twine long so that I could adjust the length of the planes once hung from the ceiling. By twisting the twine around the rod, I can adjust the planes in the future according to Logan's development (and ability to grab the mobile and pull it down on his head!). 


My husband also suggested cutting a notch into the both ends of the rods to hold the twine in place, but so far it hasn't been necessary. I chose the wooden rots and twine to give the mobile a simple, natural look, but you could also use a variety of other things- colored yarn, fishing line, a round piece for the mobile base, etc. I even bought a old mobile from Goodwill with the intention of using it as the base of my mobile, but decided against it. Instead I bought a ceiling hook from Lowe's for $1 and used another piece of twine around the center of the rods to hand it from the ceiling. The opportunities are endless!





Supplies used:

MDF Airplane cutouts
Wooden rods
Twine (or string, yard, fishing line)
Acrylic paint
Small paintbrush
Nail & hammer (for creating the hole)
Ceiling hook

Approximate cost: $5.00

Time: 30 minutes (not counting drying time for the airplanes)
airplanes baby diy
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