Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Summer Diary Day 39: Rain Cloud Mobiles

Dear summer diary,
The girls & I sewed up another little project I've been seeing around the internet & have been wanting to try out: Rain cloud mobiles.
The girls cut out a pattern from brown kraft paper & then pinned it to a piece of felt & cut them out. They cut out two shapes like this.

I helped sew up the clouds on the sewing machine, leaving an opening for stuffing. After the clouds were stuffed, we sewed up the opening. At this point you can use your scissors & snip any uneven edges.

For the raindrops, the girls cut out raindrop shapes & I used invisible thread to stitch through each raindrop, knotting each at the top to secure. Once the string of drops was threaded, I stitched it to the bottom of the cloud. I forgot to sew on a ribbon to the top of the girls' mobiles, so I stitched some invisible thread to the top, ready for tying or hanging to anything.

I decided to mix things up a bit & try sewing a cloud mobile using an old tattered vintage quilt piece. My cloud, on paper, looked awesomely perfect. Once it was sewn up, it did look a little wonky. I needed to make it more fluffy & less curvaceous.

I did remember to reverse my pattern when cutting out the second piece of fabric. AND, I did remember to attach a hanging device: i.e. a vintage lacy bit of trim. Sandwich the fabric, right-sides together with the hanging ribbon laying INSIDE. (I often get that part wrong!)

Sew along the edge, leaving an opening so you can turn the cloud inside-out & stuff. Slip stitch the opening closed & attach the raindrops as I did on th girls' mobiles.
Here is the final {slightly wonky, yet whimsical} mobile. I used large oversized cream-colored felt for the raindrops.


I made a second mobile using vintage chenille fabric for the cloud & rainbow colored raindrops.


Nikki

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