Leftover Quilting: Baby Mobile

So, I realize it has been a while since I last posted about what I’m going to do with the rest of the leftover quilting fabric from the ladybug and daisy selections. Yesterday I finally finished the project… a mobile.

Unable to figure out a simple pattern to use for a toddler’s carry-along blankie or car seat quilt, I decided I would still have enough fabric to also make one other project if I so wanted to. I decided to make a mobile, like the ones seen above cribs or changing tables. I knew this would require a lot more hand sewing than either the baby blanket/wall hanging or crib quilt I had previously done, but figured it would be an excellent way to make something else that could coordinate in a nursery while at the same time use up more of the cute fabric in another way.

I knew right away I needed to locate my stash of vintage buttons to see if anything would work for the spots on the ladybugs as well as the capitulums on the daisies. Unfortunately I only had one yellow button and three daisies, so I decided to use it and find a green and a blue that work with the fabrics for the other two. It turned out perfect.

My original thought was to hang the ladybugs and daisies, which I stuffed with Polyfil for a plush look, using rick-rack, but wanted something more substantial. Racking my brain, I figured I could use some coordinating green fabric, but wanted it slightly bunched so I pulled out of my sewing box a package of elastic I’d bought years ago, and sewed it into tubes I had sewn while keeping the elastic pulled just a little. The result was exactly the look I was going for; not overly bunched, but more like a loose hair scrunchy.

I used an embroidery hoop as the base, gluing a piece of fabric the same circumference as the inner hoop after sewing the five hanging pieces on. I also made an extra fabric and elastic scrunchy, sewed one end into a loop and used that as the upper part to hang the mobile from the ceiling. It turned out super cute, even if it took way longer than I had anticipated.

Alas, once finished, I snapped a few pictures and posted it on my Etsy shop. I’ve learned quite a few things about making mobiles that I can take with me on future projects if I so choose to make another. Now I just need to use up the rest of that fabric for a carry-along blankie and then maybe, just maybe, I can get back to my Uninspired Quilt again.