Baby Mobile: Shapes & Letters

Make a set of soft crochet shapes and letters for a baby mobile. Choose from a moon, a drop, a leaf, a star, a cloud and a letter tile in two sizes, then change the colors and the pictures on the front and back to any design you like, or spell a name with the tiles. Every row has a written instruction and a stitch count, and each piece has its own small sewn-in loop so it hangs from one short line.

You'll need:

• Fine (sport) weight yarn in sage, cream, rose, cocoa and mist: soft, smooth and washable
• A crochet hook, about 3.0 mm, or size to match gauge
• Polyester fiberfill, a yarn needle and scissors
• A mobile mount made for hanging mobiles and a thin line for each piece. You buy these separately; the pattern does not include them

Important Safety Notes#

Crib mobile: Hang it well out of the baby's reach, from a mount made for mobiles and fixed so it cannot fall into the crib. Take the whole mobile, arm included, down when the baby is 5 months old or starts to push up on hands and knees, whichever comes first. The cord is yours to supply: keep it short and never in a loop.

No small parts: Do not add buttons, beads, plastic eyes, charms or bells. Make faces and details in embroidery stitched through the fabric, and tug them firmly before use.

Stuffing: Stuff firmly with polyester fiberfill. No stuffing may show between stitches, so use a hook one or two sizes smaller. Close every opening with a firm seam and tug the seams hard before giving the item to a baby.

Yarn and care: Use soft, smooth, washable yarn that does not shed or fuzz, and wash a swatch first. Weave in every end and check inside the finished item for loose strands, which can wrap around a baby's fingers or toes. Wash inside out.

If you sell what you make: Children's products sold in the US must meet CPSC rules, including testing, a Children's Product Certificate and a tracking label. Start at cpsc.gov.