Trade & Made: DIY Geometric Mobile

It’s here! Today’s the day that everyone participating in Trade & Made will reveal their projects. I can’t wait to poke around and check out what everyone else did. But for now, here’s mine. Ta-da! I decided to make a DIY geometric mobile to hang up at home.

In deciding what to make from the materials that we were sent, I knew I didn’t want to get too cutesy or “crafty,” and I wanted something that was kind of modern, simple, and geometric (because you know I’m all about the geo these days). I also kind of wanted to use the materials in an unexpected way, so this is where I landed. It’s a pretty simple process, so follow along to make your own.

Materials

• wooden dowels
• wooden beads
• craft paint
• paintbrushes
• glue
• embroidery thread
• metal ring

Make Time: 1 Hour

I used Deco Art paint and paintbrushes to paint each of the dowels and beads a different color. (You can find the dowels and beads at Michael’s.) Paint these and set them aside to dry.

Cut three lengths of embroidery thread (also found at Michael’s), each about an arm’s length, and set aside.

When the paint is dry, spread a bit of glue on the end of a dowel and slip the end into the bead of the corresponding color. Repeat with each color.

Arrange the dowels in a triangle. The ends should overlap in kind of an infinity loop — the end with a bead on it is always on top of the adjacent dowel. Add a dab of glue at the joints to secure the mobile.

Tie a double knot with a length of embroidery thread around each joint, ensuring that the ends of the thread are left even with one another.

Gather all of the thread in the center above the mobile. Slip them together through the metal ring (from For the Makers) and tie one knot. Be sure that you pull each thread evenly so that the mobile is level. Trim the ends of the threads to your desired length.

Find a cool spot to hang your mobile and let ‘er rip! And if you want to give it as a gift, paint the end of a kraft tag (from Michael’s) and write a little note. I hung mine underneath a fan so it kind of twirls in a lazy spiral every once in a while. I love it! Big thanks to the girls at Trade & Made, and be sure to check out everyone else’s projects! xoxo