How to Make a Button Mobile Craft Project

Another button craft!

Like I said in my tutorial How to Make Button Art on a Canvas, I have a lot of buttons. Too many buttons.

— In fact, I’ve planted the seed of minimalism in my mind. I realized I was being greedy when I have the feeling of wanting more when I have more than enough already, especially when it comes to art and craft supplies. What does ‘planting the seed‘ mean? It means you’re saying to yourself, “I’m not ready to do this yet, but I’m opening my mind and setting the intention to let the idea grow until it’s ready to bloom - take action.

One of the issues that go along with being a crafter is, of course, what do I do with these things when I’m done? At some point, I might want to sell some, but for the most part, these crafts were made because I liked making them and that was the reason. So again, what do I do with them? I don’t want them gathering dust or cluttering up my shelves and whatnot.

My solution:

Make crafts for the ceiling! I got plenty of room up there, right?

So let’s make a mobile!

• a hoop of some sort (I used one from a quilting hoop)

• buttons - use whatever colors you got

• embroidery thread

• ribbon

• wooden earring dangles

• a ring so you can hang it (I used a binder ring)

Step 1

Tie a piece of embroidery thread to your hoop.

Use all 6 strands so it's stronger.

Step 2

Decide how much string you'll need to thread all your buttons plus enough to tie your dangles on and then cut your strings at that length.

Step 3

Thread your embroidery string (color, up to you) on a needle.

You might want to use a needle threader tool... unless you're really good.

Step 4

Stick your needle and thread through one of the buttonholes.

Step 5

Then go back through the most opposite hole.

Step 6

Push/pull your button all the way up till you get to the hoop.

Step 7

Keep adding buttons and leaving a quarter of an inch or so between each one.

Step 8

Once your button string is as long as you want it, tie the dangle you choose to the end.

My "dangles" were originally big earrings.

Next, we're going to wrap the hoop with ribbon.

Step 9

Add a little super glue to somewhere on your hoop and press the end of some ribbon on it.

Step 10

Start wrapping the ribbon around the hoop going in one direction.

Step 11

To go around your button strings, wrap the ribbon so it gets very close to the string...

And then cover it up slightly on the next wrap-around.

Use some more super glue to end the wrapping of the hoop.

Step 12

Tie another piece of ribbon to your hoop.

Step 13

Add two more pieces of ribbon to the hoop, all with equal spacing.

Step 14

Tie the ends of these 3 ribbons to a ring so it can hang.

Don't freak out

if your buttons have bunched together:

It's super easy to space them back out again.

Now, you can hang your crafty button mobile!

I actually thought that hanging this from my ceiling might now work because most of my house has that soft cottage cheese ceiling (what's the purpose of that?). But I was able to get part of the hook screw in and since my mobile isn't too heavy, it held.

My family and I are renting the house we're in. We would like to buy a house without cottage cheese ceilings. We will only be able to do that if get enough money from our claim against PG&E for burning our house, town, life in the Camp Fire. Perhaps you could send your blessings toward us being able to buy a home. It would be very much appreciated.

Buy the supplies on Amazon: