D.I.Y. ribbon sensory mobile...

I would love to share with you the most exquisite quilt I've sewn for Jessica. There's also the outdoor playmat, the cute little knitted jumper and all the sweet things I've painted and embroidered for the gallery wall above her cot. Let's not forget the cute cloud wall I've stamped to match the hot air balloon mobile which we obviously haven't left in it's box. I haven't even got started on all the lovely little dresses I've sewn.

In my mind Jess has the prettiest handmade wardrobe and bedroom but,in reality, the quilt fabric remains uncut, her bare wall is plain magnolia, her wardrobe is entirely shop bought and she has to make do with grass when sitting outside ;)

In fact the only things I've made for her so far is one knitted bootie and this rainbow ribbon mobile. Up until yesterday, this mobile hung from a coat hanger...hence why it hasn't been shared with you until now! Although, even when it was just on the hanger, it was still infinitely more usable than the lone bootie :)

I initially made it when Jess was about 5 months. She loved looking at it, feeling it on her skin and, as she grew and developed, reaching out to touch and grab the different textured ribbons (it also makes a great curtain for peekaboo!). When I made it I just thought she'd like it while she was little but she still loves it just as much today (she's 15 months now). She prefers to wave it around madly these days which was the main reason I hunted down a wooden hoop on which to transfer the ribbons!

Here's how I made it...

I used 12 strands of ribbon that were each approximately 1m in length. This was perfect for the size hoop I used (5" diameter). It took me ages to find a hoop - my google searches kept coming up with curtain rings and embroidery hoops :) If you search for macramé hoops then you'll be fine :) Although for young babies, a coat hanger is just fine as you'll be holding it.

1) Take one strand of ribbon and fold in half. Place it through the ring and feed the two ends through the folded middle. Pull tightly to secure the ribbon to the hoop. Repeat for the remaining strands of ribbon. Alternatively you could fold the ribbon over the hoop and sew it together just under the hoop.

2) Trim the ends with the scissors and then carefully run each end over a lit match. This seals the ribbon and prevents fraying. Be careful to not bring the ribbon too close to the flame or it could catch fire (easily blown out though!). Alternatively you could either cut the ribbon on a diagonal to minimise fraying or fold the end over twice and sew a hem.

And it's that simple! The only thing to say is to make sure you supervise your baby playing with this at all times as the strands of ribbon could be a strangulation risk if left unattended.

As well as providing great visual and tactile stimulation for the baby, it makes a lovely mobile to hang in a nursery, or flat against a wall as a wall hanging. A black and white version of this would also be perfect for newborns. The added bonus is that you can make this in less than 30 minutes - so perfect for busy parents!

Now please excuse me but I've got some quilt squares to cut Peppa Pig to be watched - Jess might get that quilt before she moves out :)