The Long Thread

Meet Ellen

My name is Ellen and I like to make things. I live with my husband and two girls in Atlanta. I hold a B.A. in Art History and a Master’s of Public Administration with a focus in Non-Profit Management.  In my pre-kids life I worked as a floral designer, museum educator and non-profit fundraiser.

I have increasingly begun to appreciate the value of handmade items in our mass-produced world.  So now I love to sew little clothes or work on any crafty project that can teach me something new. With my seam ripper close at hand, I’ve been making things and showing them here at the long thread for over a year now.

She blogs at The Long Thread

She has a series called Make It Monday that I just love love love.

A peek post below

Butterfly Mobile

I was inspired by this post about paper butterflies on craftster. The photo on the left is of my mobile hanging on the wall and the one on the right is the mobile hanging from the ceiling. I made each butterfly two-sided with contrasting fabrics. I think it would be sweet in a child’s room or you could use more adult fabrics and hang it in celebration of spring. A smaller version of this butterfly could also be used as an embellishment or could be made as a garland.

Supplies for Three Butterflies:

• Fabric (1/4 yards or remnants of six different fabrics)
• Interfacing, optional (1/2 yard)
• Thread
• Monofilament (fishing line)
• Sewing needle with large eye

Step 1: Cut fabrics and interfacing according to template: butterfly.pdf (48KB)

Step 2: Sew fabrics right sides together with interfacing on top (as shown below). Begin sewing about 1 1/2″ from the top center of the butterfly and sew around until you are again 1 1/2″ from the center (this will leave an opening about 3″ wide). Trim excess fabric, particularly around curves, and turn right sides out through opening. Press down corners. Fold under fabric at opening 1/4″ and press down. Sew opening closed. Repeat for other two butterflies.

Step 3: Cut the full length of monofilament (about 4′) and thread through the needle. Take first butterfly and fold accordion-style. Hold in place with one hand. Then insert needle at the center top of the butterfly and pull through (you’ll have to push hard to get it through all layers of fabric) leaving the length at the top of the butterfly that you’ll need to hang it (about 12-18″). Thread monofilament back up through the butterfly and then down again. This should be secure and you will not need to make a knot. Continue to next butterfly leaving a space between them. Repeat. Tie a knot at the end and trim the monofilament, leaving an inch so the knot won’t slip out.

All done! Obviously, if you are going to hang this above a crib, you should hang it securely and well out of the child’s reach. If you make these, please submit a photo to the Make it Monday Flickr group here.

I already have the fabric picked out to make one of these mobiles for above my little girls bed.

Lovely and more lovely here.

Enjoy!

xoxo Brandy

Comments

[jelpalils]

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[melissa stover]

those are wonderful! i'm going to have to try them.

[Wendy McDonagh-Valentine]

Those butterflies are just adorable!! Thanks so much for showing us how to make them. : )

~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/