Owl Mobile

Here’s a quick little “how I did it” tutorial.

Materials I used:

• Scrap fabric in about 8 in. x 8 in. squares
• 4 different colored 8×10 size felt sheets (purchased from Hobby)
• 4 different sets of 2 vintage buttons for the eyes & 4 additional buttons used for hanging
• Pillow stuffing from an old, lumpy pillow I had lying around
• Ribbon (about 10 to 12 inced per owl)
• Needle and thread
• Sewing machine
• A mobile with crib attachment (found one I used at Marshall’s)

1. First, I googled around for a good outline drawing of an owl to form the basic shape of the owls’ bodies (here are some great sample images).  Then I traced an image directly from my computer’s screen onto a sheet of plain white paper.
2. From that drawing I created a second template that would include arms and legs (or should I say wings and talons) for the backing.
3. Then I traced and cut out four pieces of each the felt (for the backing, which includes the wings and feet) and the fabric (for the front of the owl bodies.)

4.   I cut out 2 flower shapes out of the same color felt as the backing, and also 2 larger circles of different color felt.  Stacked each on top of one another and sewed a button in the center to form the eyes.

5.  Then I place the eyes on top of fabric (front of owl body) and attach by sewing.  (I glued the pieces together with craft glue prior to sewing for extra hold.)

6.    Cut 4 small diamond shapes for the beaks and sewed on.  (I used the same orangy-gold color felt for all four birds, but feel free to use the colors of your choosing.)

7.    Now for the more complicated part… I placed the front of the owl bodies face down on top of the felt backing pieces and sewed from just above one wing around the top to just above the other wing.  (Be sure not to sew all the way to the bottom of the wing, or you could end up with a wingless bird… yikes!)

8.     At this point, I turned the fabric shell right side out and added enough pillow stuffing to the top half of the owl.  You may want to implement the use of a pen or end of scissors to get the ears to poke out right.

9.     Now, with the wings out, I slightly folded the top fabric in at its edge to form a crease over one wing  and continued to sew from the top of that wing all the way around, down the bottom of the body toward the other wing.  (Might be easiest to sew by hand at this point.)

10.     Before closing the body off, I added more pillow stuffing to fill the bottom half of the owl’s body, and then finished up sewing.

11.     Almost done… Then I cut four pieces of ribbon about 10 to 12 inches long, and sewed a button to one end of each piece, attached each one to the back of the owl by sewing.

12.     Finally, I threaded the top of the ribbon into the end of the mobile and tied enough knots so that it wouldn’t fall through.

And voila! A perfect little little owl mobile for a perfect little baby!

Click here to view more pics on my Flickr page.