DIY Spiral Mobile Chandeliers

Tie an origami piece to your spiral chandelier.

If you're looking for a colorful mobile for your baby's new nursery or a decorative fixture for the dining area and don't want to spend a lot of money, you can add a playful or elegant look by making your own spiral mobile chandelier. With some help from adults, this works well as a kids craft as well. Decide what you want to hang from the mobile based on your personal tastes, where you'll hang it and the color scheme and design in that room. Paper flowers, colorful felt balls, ornaments, paper birds and glass beads all work well.

Things You'll Need

• Wire
• Canister or bowl
• Wire snippers
• Felt, paper, faux flowers, keepsakes or items to hang
• Fishing line, ribbon or string
• Superglue
• Ceiling hook anchor
• Drill

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of wire 12 inches or longer, depending on how large you want the mobile. Floral wire works well. Use hanger wire if you want to save money, but it's a bit tougher to shape.

2. Wrap the wire around the width of a canister, bowl, glass or other cylindrical or circular-shaped item. Wrap the wire with the spirals close to one another for a shorter, wider mobile and far apart for a long, narrow spiral.

3. Slide the bent wire off the top of the canister or bowl carefully. Tie a piece of twine, thick string or fishing line to one end of the spiral. Tie the free end of the string to a hook, or tie it in a loop. Hang the spiral while you work so you can see how the items hang on it.

4. Wrap the wire in floral tape or masking tape or leave it as is.

5. Create whatever items you're hanging from the chandelier, if they're homemade. Cut out squares of crepe paper, then pinch them in the center and glue to create a flower, for instance.

6. Cut a piece of fishing line. Tie one end to the top of the spiral, and tie the other end to your paper flower, keepsake or whatever item you're hanging. You may have to glue it depending on the item.

7. Repeat with the next item, experimenting with varying fishing line lengths and placing the item. The weight of each item changes the look and weight of the mobile, so adjust as you go.

8. Install a ceiling bracket hook, drilling it in where you want to hang your chandelier. Hang the chandelier on the hook, and enjoy.

Resources

• Ohdeedoh: 50 Fabulous Mobiles to Make, Buy or Hang in the Sky