FLOWER MOBILE

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 - Make the flowers and leaves. You can achieve different effects by cutting the petals into a variety of shapes, adding stamens and pollen in contrasting colours, and assembling them in varying ways. Some simple techniques for flower construction are:

• Petal by petal: Cut individual petals, and attach them, one by one, either to each
  other, or to a base. This technique allows you to create full, detailed flowers.
• Folded: Cut 3 to 5 circles, either with plain or fancy edges, then fold them in quarters and secure them together at their bottom points. This will create ruffled flowers.
• Rolled: Cut a long strip of felt, and roll it up, gluing as you go. The flowers created in this way look simple and stylised.
• Flat: Cut flower shapes in increasingly smaller sizes, then stack them on top of each other and stick them together at their centre. These also create a stylised look, and allow you to use different colours for different petals to create contrasting, or ombre effects.

Step 2 - Cut lengths of twine in the size and quantity you want to use for your mobile. Make sure you add approximately 8 - 10cm of extra length to each piece for securing to the hoop.

Step 3 - Attach flowers and leaves to the twine. You can do this in whichever configuration you choose. We like the look of having a flower at the end of the twine, and leaves up it's length. Do not attach any felt embellishments to the 8 - 10cm of twine at the top of each piece.

Step 4 - Take the inner ring of your embroidery hoop, and measure its circumference with your tape measure. Divide this number by 5, and mark these 5ths on your hoop with your pencil.

Step 5 - Attach your felt-embellished twine to your hoop being sure NOT to tie any of these pieces where you have marked your hoop with pencil. Try to distribute them in a balanced way, so your mobile will hang straight.

Step 6 - Cut five equal lengths of twine, at least 30 cm each, from which to hang your mobile. Tie one end of one piece of twine at each of the points you marked on your hoop in step 4. Take the long ends of these five pieces of twine, bring them together, and thread them through your large wooden bead. Adjust to ensure the hoop will hang evenly when you hold the mobile up above the bead. Tie off.

Step 7 - Carefully wrap twine around your hoop both to cover it, and to add additional security to the places where you have tied your mobile elements. Keep your twine on the roll, releasing what you need a little at a time as you wrap, and work slowly to avoid getting tangled. Tie off neatly, or glue the end to the inner side of the hoop with a little hot glue