I have been wanting to design a nursery mobile and new home that has plenty of rooms to fill up, I decided to make each of my kids a nursery mobile in owl-themed.
I feel so honored to be interviewed and featured in one of Malaysia’s leading English Daily, The Star, at the Craftypedia column. We had a long interview, head over to read more on what they had to say about me (click here) or get today’s copy from the newsstand. I am the cover story of The Star2 with a 2 full-page story and 2 half-page tutorials on this owl nursery mobile!!!
I made this owl nursery mobile, “Forest of Owls”, to share with the readers and I am so happy that the columnist, Lee Mei Li, allowed me to share it here with you all. As many of you may have known that I just moved into my new home and I still have plenty to work on for the home decor. These 2 sets of owl nursery mobiles (a pink and a blue) came in time for the kids’ rooms, one for my daughter and one for my son. I am glad that they love it dangling from their ceiling, watching them swing under a dim nightlight and fall asleep.
Watch the video
Owl Nursery Mobile Sewing Pattern
scroll ⬇️ to get the free sewing pattern & tutorial
The owl is about 3.5″ tall and the tree is 5″. They are all hand sewn from felt, however, sewing with a sewing machine is achievable too. The bodies of the owls are embellished with simple embroidery or sewing with ric-rac and lace trim.
Download the printable sewing template from the tutorial section below to begin the sewing. Sew four owls (or more if you wish) with different facial expressions, have them dangle from a stick or an embroidery hoop. Then add a few hearts, and a tree to complete the “Forest of Owl” nursery mobile.
The original plan was to design a similar owl from the owl key pouch/holder that my sister and I did a few years ago. My friend told me, why not split the head and body and make them swing freely when the mobile moves. Good idea! So, I picked up my paper and pencil, sketched out a new owl, and started working on it… Later, I added more owls, a tree, and some hearts to complete the whole nursery owl mobile.
Hope you love it and wish to see you start sewing it too, be it for your kids or as gifts for a friend’s baby.
Happy Sewing!
If you need more free patterns on owl-themed to DIY, here is the list:
1. Stuffed Owl sewed from Socks sewing pattern
2. Amigurumi Owl Mr. Murasaki crochet pattern
3. Amigurumi Owl Charm crochet pattern
4. Mini Owl Charm Crochet Pattern
5. Olivia Owl Card Pattern
6. Owl Coin Purse Sewing Pattern
7. Owl Key Pouch Sewing Pattern
8. Needle Felted Owl Tutorial
9. How To Draw With 3D Pen
Owl Nursery Mobile Sewing Pattern
The owl is about 3.5" tall and the tree is 5". Sew four owls (or more if you wish) with different facial expressions, and have them dangle from a stick or an embroidery hoop. Then add a few hearts, and a tree to complete the "Forest of Owl" nursery mobile.
Enjoy sewing them!
Download and print separately: SEWING PATTERN
Materials
- Felt – pink, grey, white, red, green, brown
- Embroidery floss – pink, grey, white, red and black
- Fancy Button – 2
- Cord / cotton twin
- Ric Rac (mini) ribbon trim
- Doll poly-stuffing
- Owl, tree and heart templates
Tools
- Embroidery needle or tapestry needle #24
- Scissors
- Paper or cardstock
- Ball pen
- Toiler’s pins
Instructions
HOW TO SEW OWL NURSERY MOBILE
Download and print the pattern template on paper or on cardstock, cut the templates out, and trace them on the felt with a ball pen according to the color shown in the picture.
SEW OWL
- Cut felt by following the inside of the traced lines so that no ugly ink is shown on the cut-out felt.
- Layer the white felt eye above one of the pink face pieces, blanket stitch to secure in place.
Position three strips of ricrac ribbon trim onto a grey body piece and sew with a backstitch.
- Center the nose between the eyes and backstitch it in place.
Sew on the fancy buttons for eyes.
- Experiment with different expressions. Here are the 4 different faces/expressions that you can give to the owl.
- Align the front and back felt pieces of the head and body. Position the pink wings on top of the front body piece. Pin in place.
- Sew the front and back body pieces together with a blanket stitch, starting from the bottom of the left-wing. Stop right before the top-center of the body. Sandwich a long length of cotton twine (with a knotted end) between the felt pieces. Continue blanket stitching across the edges of the body until you reach the bottom of the right-wing.
- Fill up the body with poly-stuffing and finish stitching up the piece.
- You can also try a different design for the body – here are three, for starters.
- Hold the head felt piece to the body and sandwich the cord in between, letting it run out at the top-center of the head. Start blanket stitching from the bottom of the head and continue on until you reach the left ear.
- Stuff the head and finish stitching up the piece. If needed, use a ball pen to push the poly-stuffing into the head.
- The completed owl mobile. Sew another few of them with different expressions and body as shown above.
SEW TREE
- Cut felt on the tree template, tree/crown, trunk, and small hearts.
- Arrange the hearts on the crown, blanket stitches them in place.
- Layer half of the trunk on the crown, blanket stitch the top portion of the trunk to the crown.
Remark: this is an accurate method of attaching the trunk to the crown, though a little troublesome. You can always stitch both trunks to the crowns respectively and sew both pieces together.
- Place another piece of trunk underneath, blanket stitch both trunks together on the bottom half.
- Turn over, place the second piece of the crown and sew the trunk to it.
- Stuff the trunk with poly-stuffing. You have to do it now and not after you have sewn up the tree. Use a pen to push the poly-stuffing in. Massage the trunk to even out the poly-stuffing if necessary.
- Blanket stitch the crown, insert a knotted cord at the center of the tree. Stop when you are about 1 1/2″, stuff poly-stuffing into the crown, add a little to the trunk that you stuffed just now so that the stuffing is even.
- Finish stitching up the piece.
ASSEMBLE
Make more owls, top off with some hearts and the tree, and have them dangle from a stick or an embroidery hoop.
The embroidery hoop version with blue owls is for my 5-year-old son.
Notes
Tip: In order for the cord to stay securely, make a knot and insert it into the owl, stitch on it while you do the blanket stitch.
Get the full article at https://www.craftpassion.com/sew-a-nursery-owl-mobile/
Sock Owl Stuffed Animal • Free Sewing Pattern & Tutorial | Craft Passion
Sunday 4th of October 2020
[…] Owl Nursery Mobile Sewing Pattern […]
Vickie
Wednesday 23rd of January 2019
Craft Passion (sorry I did not see your name)
I found your site tonight and cannot wait to begin! Once I send this message, I am going to dig through my stash so I can try the child's shorts with the three pockets. I think your site is amazing!! Thank-you in advance for the inspiration
sam
Saturday 13th of October 2018
This is sooo good, my friends were absolutely delighted that I chose this for the baby shower theme. It meant a lot as they had difficult pregnancies. THANK YOU sooo much.
Maria esperanza
Monday 12th of December 2016
O like it very much. O would like to learn to make it
Judy
Thursday 22nd of May 2014
This is a delightful tutorial. I made 3 mobiles for my little niece & nephews. Instead of the embroidery hoops, I found tiny circular plastic clothes dryer (the type to hang up small items like socks & underwear), removed the pegs & hung the owls, hearts & tree where the pegs used to be. Now I want to make one for myself too! Thank you Joanne. I've made quite a number of items from your blog & you never cease to amaze me. I'll be attempting the sock animals next. Cheers!
Craft Passion
Friday 23rd of May 2014
You are absolutely right, the small circular hanger is great as the substitute!!! Thanks for sharing this great tips!