DIY Baby Mobile

In an effort to reduce the number of purchased items for baby, as well as spark my own creative being, I decided to craft my own mobile for baby’s space.

In reality, I spent several months glancing at boho mobile’s made by mom’s on etsy, contemplating which one might spark my little one’s imagination and also be aesthetically pleasing. Yet, none took hold. It wasn’t until one Saturday morning, when he was already 3 months old, that the inspiration to craft one came to me.

As he slept on my chest in the snuggled in the baby carrier, I looked around the room and was inspired by a few of our precious objects that could dangle from a mobile. I also had some extra wool yarn from a dreamcatcher that I crafted before he was born. After helping him to sleep, I went outside and collected two small branches and I was ready to craft my own baby mobile! It’s incredibly satisfying to me when I can make something out of things I already own! Perhaps you have this experience too.

But how to create it? As a child, I remembered a small art project we would do with popsicle sticks and yarn to make these little objects, one of which I think is still on my dad’s bookshelf. That’s how the inspiration was born for this sweet little project.

In crafting it in my kitchen one morning while my little guy slept in the baby carrier on my chest, I was also reminded of how supportive it is to do physical work. Physical in that it involves using your hands and provides the opportunity to be present in your body, as opposed to work on a screen of some kind which has become so pervasive in our fast-paced society.

Let’s jump into how to make your own baby mobile that both you and your babe will treasure for many years to come.

Materials:

• Yarn, Wool, or String – amount will depend on how big you want to make it and what colors you plan to use. I chose two colors and half of a spool was plenty. I prefer natural materials and so I went with wool and alpaca yarn which you can find at your local craft store, etsy, or online.
• Two small sticks or branches – these could be collected from a meaningful spot to you where you hike, or your backyard. Any type of tree branch will work, it just depends on what you envision for your mobile – short thicker branches, long thinner branches. The only thing you will want to do is make the branch smooth by breaking off any extra pieces so they don’t stick out when you add the yarn. Of course also remember that baby will be by this so keep the sharp ends of the sticks out of baby (and toddler) reach.
• 4 objects for hanging: These can be anything you want but a few things to keep in mind – try and choose objects that are light and weigh about the same. This is important for balancing the mobile once you hang it. If one object is too heavy then it will not hang properly. Some trial and error is needed. Objects that can work well: feathers, air plants (which you water by misting), wool animals (they are light), or any other object that you and babe would enjoy looking at. Both of you are in the nursery a lot together, so I see this as hanging art for both of you to enjoy.
• Optional Botanical Dyeing: I had some indigo dye and decided to dye the while yarn a soft blue. So feel free to get creative! If you have white yarn already there are many fun ways to dye using botanicals – like avocado pits for a soft pink, turmeric & pomegranate for soft yellows, hibiscus & logwood for reds and purples. Here’s a helpful beginners website on natural botanical dyeing.

DIY Baby Mobile Instructions:

1. Place the two branches together in the way you would like them to hang – choose a top and bottom for the mobile.
2. Decide if you are using one or multiple colors of yarn. If you are using one color then you do not need to cut the yarn, rather let it unspool gently from it’s bundle as you wrap the branches.
3. If you are using multiple colors – you can start with the first color and let it gently unwind from the spool as you go and when you would like to switch to another color, you will cut the thread and then tie the two colors together in a small knot. Trim the edges after tying the knot. Once you have wrapped the branches a few more times you will be able to tuck and hide the knots. Repeat the process any time you change colors which you can do as many times as you would like. I alternated between the marigold and indigo in mine.
4. Begin by securing the branches by wrapping the first color you would like to use in an alternating pattern around the branches in the center. Sadly I didn’t take a video of this, so you can click here if you need more instruction.
5. Continue wrapping the branches in a circular pattern, being careful to keep the string taught, changing colors as you would like. See link in #4 for a video with more instructions.
6. After you have created the yarn and branch hanging, cut a small piece of yarn and hang each object from the end of the branch. You will need to hold the mobile in the air to check and see how the balance works with the weight of the various objects.

This DIY Baby Mobile tutorial has a lot of instructions but it’s actually quite simple, easy, and fun. If you end up making one I would love to see a photo in the comments!

This is also a nourishing activity to do when you are nesting and preparing for baby, or during the slow tender days of postpartum. Gentle Leaps friends.