Lola Dutch Inspired Mobile

Have you heard the importance of having a tribe? I’m talking about a close group of friends who support, inspire, and uplift you. It’s a thing and it’s a darn good one. I’m lucky enough to have a great tribe of girlfriends who I’ve known for years, all of whom are super duper creative. My dear friend Sarah Jane, is one such genius! She is an amazing illustrator and her book that she’s been dreaming about for years comes out today! Lola Dutch is a magical tale of a girl who dreams big. It’s written and illustrated by Sarah Jane and her husband, Kenneth. This is such a gem among children’s storybooks and it’s already getting a ton of attention.

There are quite a few beautifully illustrated chandeliers throughout the book, so we decided to create a Lola Dutch inspired Mobile! Wooden beads and bright pom poms make up this whimsical mobile. It would look adorable in a children’s room, in a craft corner, or any place that could use a fanciful touch. This mobile only takes a few hours to create, making it a perfect weekday project! We were inspired by the stunning work of Galbie Studio. Check out her Etsy shop to purchase one of her lovely creations!

The book is filled with beautiful watercolor illustrations that capture the imagination of Lola Dutch and all her big ideas! I love that Sarah Jane incorporates well-known artists into the book, perfect inspiration for a budding artist!

Lola Dutch Inspired Mobile

Materials: 

• 1 10-inch embroidery hoop, you’ll only need the inner hoop
• Wooden beads in 4 sizes; 14 (A) 25 mm, 26 (B) 16 mm, 48 (C) 14 mm and, 172 (D) 10 mm
• Yarn in three colors. We used pink, mustard, and chartreuse.
• Upholstery Needle
• Scissors
• Hot Glue

Instructions: 

1. Divide the embroidery hoop into 6 sections by measuring 5.25 inches and making a pencil mark. Continue around until you have 6 markings, equidistant from each other. Set Aside
2. Create 6, 3-inch pom poms in pink and 6, 1.5-inch pom poms in chartreuse and set aside.
3.  String 6 pieces of yarn with the following bead pattern: A, BB, CCCC, DDDDDDDD.
4. Tie those 6 beaded strings to the hoop with square knots at the 6 marks you made, leaving a tail of yarn approximately 5-inches long at the end. Position so the beads are hanging down.
5. Gather the loose ends together and thread the 6 strands through a 1-inch bead using an upholstery needle.
6. Tie a knot at the base of the needle, so the beads stay secure. Trim the strings evenly to create a 3-inch tassel
7. String 6 pieces of yarn with 16 D, or 1/4-inch beads.
8. Tie these strands to the embroidery hoop with square knots in between the previous strands, to create a mini-swags. Position so the beads are hanging down.
9. String 6 pieces of yarn with the following pattern: 1 large pom, A, BB, CCCC, DDDDDDDD, 1 small pom, DD. Make sure to leave lots of extra string for hanging purposes.
10. Tie these strands to the hoop with square knots at the same 6 marks you made, but this time positioned upward.
11. Gather the loose ends together and tie a knot about 4-inches above the last bead.
12. Using an upholstery needle, thread three beads on above the knot: BAB. Then tie another knot directly above the bead to hold them in place.
13. Gather all the long strands together (you’ll use these to hang the mobile). Take another strand of yarn and hot glue at the top of the last bead and begin to wrap the yarn around the other yarns, creating a cord. Continue wrapping until you’ve reached your desired length. We wrapped about a foot and then just let the yarns hang free for additional length.

One genius detail that Sarah added in was the back cover. It unfolds to reveal Lola’s house, just like a dollhouse. It even comes with characters you can cut out to use in the dollhouse. So clever. You can go to LolaDutch.com to get more characters.

Hang your lovely Lola Dutch Inspired Mobile chandelier and have a ball! 

Photos by Jane Merritt  |  Lola Dutch by Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright