The other day I came across a ribbon party mobile on a porch and I loved! It was bright colors and looked so easy! So off I went to get supplies for my own.
New word of the day: Windsock
If you put these outside it might be called a windsock, so you can tell when its windy. Like they have at the airport to tell wind direction and speed. I did not know this word until I went looking on Pinterest to see how others had made them and that is what they called it. Isn’t that a fun fact!
This could survive the summer outdoors because it is made out of a metal wreath-as opposed to the smaller ones that people do with an embroidery hoop. However, the embroidery hoop would be good for an indoor mobile and it’s smaller so you would need less ribbon.
This is my version of it!
You will need:
- wire wreath (Dollar Tree $1.25)
- spray paint (optional)
- ribbon (variety of widths and textures) you need a lot!
- iron (if your ribbons have creases)
- scissors
- tape measure
- binder clip
- fishing line
Start out by spray painting the wire wreath. This is optional but I did originally leave mine black and it was nagging at me that I should have painted it white or pink to blend in. It doesn’t take much paint a quick spray on one side. Wait an hour and flip it over and paint the other side.
Bric a Brac and Haberdashery!
Here are 2 more definitions to make this a super educational tutorial:
Bric a Brac: Noun
-
miscellaneous objects and ornaments of little value.
- synonyms: ornaments, knickknacks, trinkets, baubles, bits and pieces, bits and bobs, odds and ends
- small items used in sewing, such as buttons, zippers, and thread; notions.
- a shop or a department within a larger store that sells items used in sewing.
More to the point – Ribbon
You will need a lot of ribbon! It would be great if you have a craft outlet store or a source for cheep ribbon with a lot of yards on the spool. You should plan to spend at least $25 on this. Wider ribbon will fill up the space quickly but the skinny ribbon is nice intermingled. It’s a great way to use up old scraps too. Lace, ribbon, ric rac, sequin strips, cheap lengths of beads. Variety is the key!
Start by cutting the ribbon into lengths between 20 and 24 inches or 50 cm to 60 cm. I like the ribbons to be staggered in lengths. Do not use ribbon with wire in it.
Slide the ribbon through the wire wreath.
Pull the ribbon through the loop to form a gentle knot.
Spread the ribbon around the wreath and then add another color. If it’s too short to tie the gentle knot you can put a single strand on the wreath by just knotting it.
Ribbons, Ribbons, Ribbons!
At this point I ran out of my new ribbon and it looks really sparse. So I head down to my sewing area and dig out all my old ribbons and lace and cut up any gray, silver, white, cream and any shade of pink in any width of ribbon.
If some of your ribbons have been folded you will want to iron them. Some of my best photos have ribbon with bends and folds and it really bugged me. So off they came and I ironed them flat. Make sure the iron is set to gentle.
A friend gave me this bottle of beads. The strand of beads is really long so there is plenty to add several lengths on this project. I also had a spool of sequined ribbon and that adds a nice bit of sparkle.
It’s actually quite beautiful now. When I lift it up there is very little wire showing.
Time to Hang it up!
Now you will need to string it up. I could have used ribbon but there is literally none. It’s all used up on this mobile. So use fishing line…its very inexpensive and clear. I used a binder loop as the connection and it will help with movement if you are using it outdoors in the breeze.
Knot it on the wreath in three places and then pull the three strands together and upwards. Tie it in a knot twice leaving 1/2 an inch (1 cm) between the knots to hook the binder clip. Then use the S hook to hang it from a tree branch.
If you hang it on a very low branch you will find your children in it. You’ve been warned…LOL
The photo above is the mobile I did before I spray painted it. You can see some of the black wire. It’s up to you – if you want to skip the spray painting step. In the end I took the ribbons off and spray painted it pink and then started again.
This would be really fun hanging over an outdoor tea party!
I choose my projects based on things I actually want to have around my house and I’m excited to make. This project is both! It turned out lovely and my daughter is happy to have it as an addition to her pink room.
Happy crafting – til next time!
Here are two ribbon and lace mobiles that I found in a store in a neighbouring town.
The one above is using a kitchen pot holder rack.
The one above is using a big white willow wreath. They had such a nice impact that I immediately pulled my phone out to take a photo. Add some twinkle lights and it would be absolutely wonderful!
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This is so super cute and so much fun! Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
What a fun idea! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!
These are so pretty, I wish I had a place to hang one so I could make it.
Thanks Mary, it’s quite a happy project to make and soothing to see flowing in the breeze.
That just gorgeous. It would look stunning both inside and outside
I love this! My nickname is Pinky, so your color choice is awesome in my book. As some who sews (I actually have a degree in Fashion Design) I have a huge supply of ribbon and lace scraps. I imagine that you could also incorporate some strands of old costume jewelry into the mobile, and perhaps some small bells to add sound. We currently, are working to add windchimes to our yard in an effort to drown out our neighbor’s barking dogs.