Octahedron Mobile

Octahedron Mobile

This is the second mobile in the Montessori Series

Materials:

-Printer

-Printer paper

-Super Glue

-Scissors

-Metallic Paper (found at Hobby Lobby)

    -Gold

    -Blue

    -Red

-Wooden dowel (I bought a package of 15 dowels, size 3/16in x 12in)

-Fishing line

-Small beads (3)

-Large bead

-Ruler

-Pencil

How I made it:

First print the pattern to make an octahedron.

http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/octahedron-model.html

Cut out the pattern

Trace the pattern on to the back of the metallic paper

Take a ruler to draw the pattern onto the back of the metallic paper

Used sharp scissors to score the drawn pattern where there will be a fold

Cut out the drawn pattern from the metallic paper

Fold the paper 

(Not pictured)

In order to attach the octahedron to the mobile you have to tie a bead to a long piece of fishing line and make sure you put the bead inside the shape and make sure you glue the bead inside the shape.

Finish gluing the rest of the shape together, making sure not to pull the string out

Once all is ends are glued your should have a hanging shape

Tie and glue fishing line to each end of the wooden dowel

Take a smaller loop of fishing line

Tie a knot in it 

(You'll hang it from this piece)

Place a bead under the knot

Tie the other end to the string attached to the wooden dowel

Repeat with other colors of paper

Then tie and glue to the wooden dowel

I used a ruler to make sure the red and blue hung at the same height

I tied the red and blue shapes as close to the edges as I could then measured the center of the dowel for the gold shape.  

I will update with pictures of my baby using this mobile when he's here.

Paper Crane Mobile

Paper Crane Mobile

The paper crane mobile is a wonderful gift I have given as a thank you gift and for baby showers.  This is a mini version to help inspire your own paper crane mobiles.

Materials:

• Plenty of paper cranes (see tutorial)
• Wreath (Hobby Lobby has plenty of sizes this one came in a six pack for $2.99)
• Fishing line (This roll was under $3 at Wal Mart)
• Beads
• One large bead
• Scissors
• Glue
• Push pin
• Tool I made out of an old spiral notebook
• The tool is shown on the bottom left side.  I unraveled a portion of the spiral on a spiral notebook, cut it off, then made a small loop on one side to thread the fishing line through the cranes. If you think of a more efficient way please comment.

How to Create:

1.  Cut two equal in size strings to hang the mobile from

2.  Tie each ends of the strings to the wreath one end across from the other - In this picture I am holding one string tied on each end to the wreath

3.  Now I have attached both strings to the wreath

4.  Cut three more equal pieces and string them through the large beads with the small beads on both sides to help stabilize

 5.  Tie ends around both strings already attached to the wreath making secure knots

5.  Tie a couple of knots above the beads so that they don't fall off

6.  Place to the side

7.  Cut a new piece of long string you will be placing the cranes on

8.  Securely tie a small bead to the end of the string

9.  Take push pin and make a small hole on the top of the crane

10. Make another hole on the bottom of the crane

11. Pull the tool through the holes you made in the crane

12. Place the string in the hole on the tool

13. Pull the tool through the crane, threading the string through the crane (Be very careful not to make the holes to big)

14. String another bead on the top of the crane to cover the hole

15. Attach the end of the string to the wreath

16. I like to put a small amount of glue on each knot after it's done

17. Hang until glue dries

18. Cut off all extra string

*Attaching more then one bird to each line looks really nice just tie another bead on the string where you want the next crane to hang.

*After attaching the first crane I find it easy to hang the mobile for easy positioning of next cranes so they are placed at desired heights.



Enjoy!

 

Paper Crane

Paper Crane

How to Fold a Paper Crane:

(Make sure that the paper you are using is cut into a square and you make a extremely defined crease on all of your folds)

Start with printed side of paper facing down



Fold in half diagonally

Fold the triangle in half bringing far corners together
Turn triangle so that point that is facing down faces up (not shown)

Fold open one side of triangle

 

Turn over

Folder over other side of triangle

Fold side corner to center

Fold opposite corner to center

Flip it over

Fold the side corners to the center

Fold down top corner

Turn over and fold top corner the opposite way

Let folds undo

Lift one side of the bottom corner

Lift it all the way to top

Turn over

Repeat what you did on the other side

Fold over top side corner to center

Fold over the other side corner to the center

Turn over

Fold in the side corners of this side

Turn to the side

Open up slightly

Fold up the bottom corner (this will be a head or tail)

Turn over

Fold up other side (this will be the head or tail)

Pull one of the top flaps to the side to become a wing 

Pull the other top flap down to become the other wing

Choose what side you want to be the head and fold down

Enjoy your beautiful paper crane