home {made} mobile

It's Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend and New Years! I can't believe how time is flying. I feel like I'm on a huge merry-go-round and no one will let me off. Oh well.

Today I'll show you how to make this! I'm pretty particular about how little E's room is going to look, so I knew that I would have to make the mobile for her crib because I knew I would never find anything to match the theme.

 My awesome sister in law was great enough to give me the mobile off her son's crib who has now outgrown it. I needed the plastic pieces and even though the mobile was cute, it was all boy. I used the original pieces as a pattern. I measured out the fabric for the piece that would go over the mobile stand.

It curves out at the bottom to allow room for the bend in the plastic. The original fabric piece was actually longer than the piece I cut because the original piece allowed for a lot of bunching on the stand. I didn't want it to do that much so I cut it shorter. I also cute the piece on the fold which is important. I finished the ends of the piece and then I folded and sewed right side together using 1/4 inch seam and then flipped it right side out.

 It slid right over the stand and fit perfectly.

 For the next part I used the original cover of the mobile for a pattern. Sorry I didn't get a picture. I actually just used one square piece of fabric a little larger than the original piece to allow for the ruffle seam. I cut 4 strips of gray suede leftover from this project and matching this project about twice as long as the square sides. I then used a basting stitch and gathered them in, pulling the bobbin thread.

 I then pinned them to the sides and sewed them down.

 For the back of the square piece I cut out four triangles matching the corners of the square and pinned them to each corner creating a little pocket. The mobile legs will go in each pocket.

 I also sewed the ribbon I wanted for the mobile into the seam and the triangle pieces when I did a top stitch over the top of the square. It looks like crap a little rough when you flip it over but no one will see that so you're good. ;)

For the mobile pieces I wanted little birds so I free handed a pattern out of felt, cutting two pieces. I cut little wings that are petal shaped out of leftover fleece.

 Sew each wing where you want it to each of the two pieces. I sewed it right at the top so it would be able to move and appear to be 'flying' when it was stuffed. You could use any pattern you want.

 Then take your two pieces and pin them together with the ribbon inset and top stitch. I also put a feather in the back and top stitched over it.  Leave a little hole at the bottom and stuff. I used scrap pieces I had laying around to fill them. Then just top stitch over the opening.

 For the middle I tied a ribbon to the center of the mobile and glued rattan balls and feathers to give it a fun look. We did have a cat about three days ago and it only took her 2 minutes to sneak into the nursery and have feathers all over the place. I had to replace the feathers on the balls. The cat is now being 'babysat' permanently at our friends. :) At least till the baby is a bit older.

 Step back and admire! My friend recently visited and saw the nursery and said the mobile was 'very me'. I decided to take that as a compliment. :)

Let me know if you have any questions and what you think!! I'd love to hear from you! Comments (and followers) are most welcome. Happy Monday! Linking to THESE PARTIES this week!