BUTTERFLY MOBILE

THE same idea and instructions can be used to make a variety of mobiles, such as leaves, flowers or stars. Beads, ribbons, metal washers or glass stones can also be added to create more interest.

YOU WILL NEED: Craft metal: white (100cm x 42cm is enough for 80 butterflies) Butterfly punch (5cm x 7cm) Embossing machine Embossing folder design of your choice Sanding block Stylus or thick needle Thin nylon thread Inside ring of a medium-sized embroidery hoop, painted silver Clear glue or glue gun White tulle or ribbon, for hanging

Cut the metal in strips wide enough to accommodate the size of the butterflies you are going to punch out. They cut 14 strips, each 42 x 6cm.

Punch out 80 metal butterflies, or six from each strip.

Machine-emboss the butterflies, using the embossing folder of your choice to create texture.

Use a sanding block to gently buff off some of the white on the butterflies, exposing the silver to contrast and shimmer.

Make a hole through the metal, near the top of each butterfly’s head, using a stylus or thin needle.

Cut 16 strands of nylon thread, each about 60cm in length, and tie double knots at the end of each one.

Thread five butterflies per strand, making a knot above each butterfly’s head. They staggered theirs slightly for a fuller effect and had a space of about 10cm between butterflies.

Prepare the painted hoop by tying two nylon threads in a cross shape, to divide the hoop into quarters.

Attach four strands to the nylon cross and 12 to the outer wooden hoop and secure each knot with glue and cut off the excess nylon.

For hanging, tie four pieces of tulle to each cross point. I tied a big bow at the top to create a softer look.

To hide the wooden hoop and nylon knots, they glued a metal trim (cut with a die cut) to the outer rim of the hoop. They then glued on a decorative ribbon as the finishing touch. You could also wind tulle around the hoop or glue broad decorative ribbon on to it.