Aug 09 — Butterfly Mobile

I love how this butterfly mobile came out! It was simple enough to do as well.

1 roll of Tulle in desired color
1 Hoop (You could find a brass one but as I couldn’t I got a cheap cross stitch hoop)
1 Roll of ribbon in desired color.
2 card stock in color
2 velum pages (Scrap book section!)
1 Glue pen
Clear jewelry thread or fishing line!
1 butterfly punch (I used martha stewart as I had a coupon!)

1. Attach the line to the hoop in a way as to make an x in the middle of it. Be sure to tie things well and tight. Make sure the x is tight.
2. Next cut 4 long piece of Tulle, mine are about 24 inches to allow for a bow up top. Attach them to the 4 points of the x and pull them up to make the bow at the top. I found hanging this some place at head height while sitting to be helpful. I used a standing reading lamp to attach mine to.
3. Cut piece of the Tulle 6-8″ long depending on how you want it to look, I wants it to be very fluffy so I went with longer pieces. Cut the ribbon at an angle and if your ribbon is the kind that will unravel singe lightly the cut ends before attaching. Just tie your pieces of Tulle and Ribbon on with a common double knot. Tie them tight and close together as to cover the hoop well. I used one ribbon and then two tulle and then another ribbon and so on for mine.
4. Punch out about 70 butterflies from your solid card stock color. (Mine was white) If you got the punch I got you might find this hard. The kind of punch I used is known for being hard as it turns out. I actually bothered my husband for this part when my hands got tired. When you have those punched out move on to punching out 70 more butterflies from the velum papers. (Mine was the purple/pink color)
5. Now you need to estimate how long you want your mobile to hang. Mine hands 3 feet from the hoop to the lowest butterfly. Cut the longest string you want for the middle line, this one you tie to the center of the x on your hoop. Put one butterfly at the top by using the glue pen to put glue in the center of one of your solid butterflies and then glue in the center of one of the velum butterflies and then place the clear line between them. Hold for a few second and it should be secure. The place a butterfly at the bottom of the string doing the same thing and place one or two more butterflys in the middle of the string.
6. Cute 4 more piece of clear line a few inches shorter than your longest middle piece, attach these, one to each arm of the x in the middle, between the center of the x and where the line attaches to the hoop. Attach butterflys the same way, trying to stagger a bit the placement so they do not all line up with one another.
7. Cut 12 more strings, these shorter than the middle ones. Attach them around the hoop, one at each of places the tulle hangers are attached and then add two between each of these points. Attach butterflies as before.
8. Open the wings of the butterflies by bending up a little on the velum butteflies giving them a more 3D look.
9. Hang from your desired special spot being sure no small hands or cat paws can get to the little butterflies.
10. Take a picture for the rest of us! Enjoy!