Paper Crane Mobile

Hi!

This paper crane mobile is so pretty and looks great in a baby's room or just as decoration for your own!

- Ruler

- Origami Paper

- Scissors

- Needle

- String or Thread

- Wooden Embroidery Hoop

- Tape (Optional)

- Marker

Using your ruler, determine the diameter of your hoop. (The one used in this project was about 10 in wide.)

Mark lines across the top of the hoop to clearly indicate where you'll be tying the string later on in the project. This is really helpful in keeping things clear when the strings get tangled.

1) Get your piece of origami paper and fold it in half, tip to tip.

2) Open it up, then fold the other side tip to tip. It should look like there's a big 'x' in the middle of the paper.

3) Open your paper again, then fold in half, hot dog style.

4) Open the paper one last time and fold hot dog style the other way. There should be a star shape on the paper.

This is where things get a little tricky. Watch the video if you get confused.

1) Shut your paper hot dog style.

2) Pinch both sides of the paper at the same time and gently push together. The paper should collapse and make a diamond shape fairly naturally.

1) Now that you have your diamond shape, fold both the left and right corner in towards the middle line. It should make an ice cream cone shape.

2) Flip the paper over and do the same fold on the other side.

3) Once you have your ice cream cone, fold the "ice cream" tip part down, then fold it back up. This is meant to make a crease for the next step.

4) Flip the paper over and fold the tip down on the other side as well.

Okay, this part gets tricky again, so be sure to watch the slo-mo video if you need help.

1) Open the flaps of the ice cream cone so that it resembles an open bird's beak.

2) Gently press each side towards the middle so that it becomes a bigger, more narrow diamond shape.

3) Flip over and do the same thing to the other side.

1) Now that you have your big diamond, fold in each side like you did in the ice cream cone step. The flaps shouldn't quite touch the center line.

2) Flip over and do to the other side.

1) Gently grab the tip of one side of the diamond and fold it downwards.

2) Flip over and fold the other tip down as well. These are becoming the wings of your crane.

3) Open the other folds of the crane and fold the long pieces up. These are the crane's head and tail.

4) Choose one side to be the head. Pinch the tip and fold in downward to form a beak shape.

1) Measure and cut your string for the length desired. Feel free to play with length, color of the string, and where you place it on the hoop.

1) Thread your needle.

2) You can either add a knot at the end of the string, or tape the end like I did if you find that your knots are too small.

1) Once you have your crane on the string, attach them to your hoop.

2) Repeat until all your cranes are attached!