Circus Mobile DIY

This soft hanging circus mobile will amuse babies in the car or in the house. It’s a wonderful way to add some color and whimsy to your baby’s life.

Level: Intermediate
Creation time: 1 day

Supplies

Materials

For the frame and base

• Wire hanger with a flexible hook
• Cotton fabric (enough to cover the hanger on both sides)
• 2 strips of cotton fabric, 18 cm (7 inches) high
  NB: The length should be equal to the bottom edge of the hanger.
• Matching braid
  

For the pendants

• Scraps of felt, cloth, yarn, etc.
• Wadding
• Ribbon
• Small beads, sequins to glue, embroidery floss, or fabric paint (for eyes and mouths)
• String or thick cord
  NB: Dont use yarn; it breaks too easily.
• Templates traced from coloring books or taken from "Nature Coloring Pages"
• Optional:
  
  • Synthetic fur
  • Whimsical beads
  • Large wooden beads
  • Other decorations

Tools

• Basic sewing supplies
• Iron
• Large carpet needle or other strong needle

Instructions

Frame

• Fold the cotton fabric in half, right sides together.
  
  
• Position the hanger on top of the cotton fabric.
  
  
• Trace the outlines of the hanger, remove it, and cut out the shapes 0.5 cm (3/16 inch) outside of your tracing lines.

• Sew along the top, right sides together.
  
  
• Turn the fabric right side out.
  
  
• Insert the hanger to maker sure it fits properly.

• Iron the fabric.

Base

• Fold 1 strip of cotton fabric in half lengthwise. Each half should measure 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) high.
  
  
• Iron it.
  
  
• Fold it, accordion-style, on itself so that you form petals.
  
  
• Cut the bottom end of your folded fabric so that it’s rounded.
  
  
• Unfold it, all except the lengthwise fold.

• Sew the rounded sides together, right sides together.
  


• Turn right side out.
  
  
• Do the same thing with the 2nd fabric strip.
  
  
• Sew the strips onto the bottom of the hanger fabric, just above the base, front and behind, with a zigzag stitch. This creates a circus tent.

Pendants

For all

• Trace the template on the fabric or felt and cut it out.

Fish

• Sew around the border, right sides together, leaving an opening.
  
  
• Turn it right side out.
  
  
• Stuff it with wadding and close it with a few hidden stitches.
  
  
• Sew a bead on each side of the head for the eyes.

Little Donkey

NB: Make donkey with felt.

• Sew around the border, right sides together, leaving the stomach open.
  
  
• Turn it right side out.
  
  
• Sew the “saddle” by hand, fraying the sides a little.

• Sew a bead to each side of the head for the eyes.
  
  
• Make the tail with 4 strands of yarn joined together.
  
  • Make a knot at the end of the 4 strands.
  • Sew the knot to the back of the donkey.
    
  
  
• Stuff it with wadding and close it with a few hidden stitches.
  
  
• Make reins from scraps of leather lace, thick yarn, raffia, cord, thick string, etc.

Piece of Candy

• Fill a piece of stocking with rice and sew it shut.
  
  
• Put the rice sachet between the 2 pieces of fabric for the piece of candy.
  
  
• Sew the 2 pieces of fabric together.
  
  
• Tie the ends of the piece of candy with ribbon.

Clown

• Trace the template and cut it out 2 times in folded fabric.
  NB: Line up the center of the clown with the fold in the fabric.
  
  
• Make the head with a piece of white fabric.
  
  
• Decorate the head with embroidery, beads, fabric paint, fake fur (for the hair), etc.
  
  
• Sew the head onto the body.
  
  
• Make the pointed hat with a cone cut out of a scrap of felt.
  NB: Don’t choose a fabric that’s too flimsy.
  
  
• Sew the hat to the head.
  
  
• Cut a bow tie from a thick fabric (like felt) and sew it on at the neck.

Strings

• Hang the pieces with the help of a large carpet needle :
  
  • Make a knot at the end of the string.
  • Pull it through the piece.
    
  • Put a large wooden bead on the string (optional).
  • Tack the unknotted end of the string between the 2 base strips of fabric, just to fix it in place.
    NB: Use your eye to judge the space between each hanging pendant.

• Secure the hanger in place by sewing along each side of the hook and hiding your stitching with a ribbon.

• Sew braid along the right side of the top of the base strips of fabric, making sure your stitching includes the string ends inside.
  NB: For more security, make a knot in the string.

• Finish by sewing along the base of the hanger so that nothing will slide inside.
  NB: A simple backstitch will suffice. The top of all elements will be hidden securely inside.

Source: "Les Tutos de Pamina" ("Pamina's Tutorials")

:laura: