DIY crib mobile: creative and thoughtful ideas on how to make a mobile for a crib
A thoughtfully designed mobile is not only a beautiful decoration for a nursery, but it can also promote a baby's development. With bright, stimulating colours and pendants designed with care, it can be a special centrepiece for a baby’s nursery. Taking the time to make a mobile yourself will give you a practical and pretty gift that comes from the heart. In this article, we’ll give you some ideas on how to make a mobile along with some important tips about baby mobiles, including the best way to hang them and the ideal places to display them.
DIY cot mobile: is a mobile for babies useful?
Mobiles are much more than just pretty decorations. They stimulate a baby's senses and arouse its curiosity. Newborn babies can only see about 20 to 25 centimetres in front of them during the first few weeks and are only able to recognise strong contrasts. This means that mobiles should have pendants in contrasting colours that are easy to see. Mobiles don’t need light and sound effects, and the gentle swaying motion of the pendants can have a calming effect on your baby.
How to make a cot mobile for a crib: instructions
If you are looking for ideas for creative, colourful and stylish baby gifts, you can try our instructions for making a DIY baby mobile. It’s a good idea to pick a colour scheme based on the preferences of the parents-to-be or the baby’s nursery.
Crib mobile instructions: how to make a rainbow mobile
You only need a few materials to get started with this colourful craft idea:
Sheets of felt
A pencil
A pair of scissors
Fabric glue or hot glue gun
Thick yarn
A wooden ring for hanging (approx. 20 cm diameter)
Cardboard if necessary
To make this simple and cute baby mobile, follow these easy instructions:
Pick a weather motif of your choice and trace it onto a sheet of felt with a pen. To get even shapes, you can make cardboard templates beforehand.
To make a sun, cut out a yellow circle with jagged edges and a slightly smaller light-yellow circle. Now stick the smaller circle onto the larger one to complete the sun.
To make a rainbow, cut out several half-circle shapes in different colours and cascading sizes. Now stick them on top of each other in layers.
Add fluffy clouds, stars and raindrops.
5. Cut several pieces of yarn of different lengths.
6. Attach the yarn to the felt figures with glue. Alternatively, you can sew them to the back with a small loop.
7. Now tie the loose ends of the yarn to the wooden ring and space them evenly. It is best to wrap the yarn around the wooden ring several times before tying a knot.
To hang the wooden ring up, cut four equal threads and knot them to the wooden ring with even spacing. Finally, take up the threads and knot them together at the top.
Crib mobile instructions: how to make a macramé mobile
Even if you're a beginner at macramé, you can use this simple craft idea to make a DIY mobile. You will need:
Macramé yarn in different colours (e.g. beige, pink, sage green, light blue)
Wooden beads in different sizes
A pair of scissors
A comb
A wooden ring for hanging up (approx. 20 cm in diameter)
Tip: Macramé yarn is available in different thicknesses. To ensure that your macramé leaves don’t end up being too bulky, opt for yarn with a thickness of three millimetres. In addition, make sure that you use twisted and not braided yarn so that it is easier to comb out at the ends.
First, cut the macramé yarn to the right length. You will need one long piece of yarn (approx. 30 to 40 cm) in the main colour. Additionally, cut 24 short cords (20 to 25 cm), in the rest of the colours you have chosen. You may end up needing two more or less lengths of the short yarn. The exact number is not important, as long as it remains an even number.
How to make a macramé mobile:
Fold the long piece of yarn in the middle and place the resulting loop on the table in front of you so that the open end is facing you.
Now take the first short piece of yarn and fold it in the centre as well. The first short loop determines the base of the macramé leaf. Leave about two centimetres of space at the top end of the long piece of yarn so that you have room to hang it up later.
Slide this first short loop under the long piece of yarn so that the open end points to the right.
Form another loop from the second piece of short yarn. Place it so that the open end points to the left.
5. Now you can thread the open ends of the short strands through the loops on both sides and pull on them at the same time. This tightens the knot.
6. Repeat this step with the remaining short strands. In the end, you will have tied about 12 knots along the long piece of yarn.
7. Carefully comb out the yarn with a fine comb. Hold the knots firmly with one hand so that they do not come undone.
8. Finally, all you have to do is cut the macramé leaf to size.
Repeat these instructions until you have made enough macramé leaves for the mobile. By arranging the short pieces of yarn in different patterns, you can create leaves with stripes, colour gradients or monochromatic leaves. To attach the leaves to the wooden ring, you can use the rest of the macramé yarn or other string in a neutral colour. You can embellish your DIY cot mobile with wooden beads, tassels or other macramé artwork to give your newborn gift a personal touch.
What materials are suitable for making a cot mobile?
Natural materials such as wood, felt, fabric, yarn or cardboard are particularly suitable because you can use them in a lot of different ways. Make sure that the materials you choose are not harmful to humans (e.g. untreated wood, non-toxic eco-paint, baby-friendly yarn).
When making the mobile, it is of utmost importance that all the pieces are attached securely to each other so that no small parts can fall off and accidentally be swallowed.
Where can I hang my homemade mobile?
The mobile should be hung at just the right height, so that the baby can clearly see it but cannot reach it. A great place to hang it is above the changing table. Here it can distract the baby, making nappy changes easier for parents. Most babies will love looking at the colourful pendants with fascination which will help them lie still. Homemade mobiles without flashing lights or loud sounds can gently stimulate a baby’s visual senses without causing a sensory overload.
Whether or not parents choose to hang a mobile directly above their baby’s cot is up to them. Some parents may find that their baby is lulled to sleep by the gentle movements of the mobile. On the other hand, very alert babies may find that the mobile stimulates them too much and keeps them awake.
Mobiles can be attached to the ceiling with hooks. Alternatively, they can be hung over a changing table or cot with special holders that allow you to change their position.
Strictly speaking, both homemade DIY mobiles and store-bought options are not toys. This means that as a decoration, they should be hung out of reach of the babies. Babies start to reach for objects in their environment from around the age of four months. However, even before this age, mobiles should not dangle within reach or get in the way when parents want to place their child on the changing table or in their cot. Swivelling mobile holders are a handy gadget for attaching a mobile and keeping them out of the way.
Conclusion: DIY cot mobile for babies as a newborn gift
A homemade cot mobile is not only a lovely gift for a newborn, but also gently stimulates a baby’s senses and can even have a relaxing effect on your child. You can design and create a beautiful mobile to complement the preferences of the parents-to-be, making it a special addition to any nursery.
