DIY Planetary Pom-Pom Mobile for Baby's Crib

What's the best way to show your little one that your world revolves around them? By crafting a pom-pom planet mobile, of course! With some yarn, a few pom-pom makers (yes, that is a thing) and scissors, you can easily craft pom-poms that resemble all the planets in the solar system. We’ll walk you through the pom-pom process and show you how to turn those planetary pom-poms into a fully functioning mobile to hang above your little astronaut’s crib.

Craft Pom-Pom Earth

For your first mission, start with a planet that we all know and love: Earth. The key to making pom-poms that resemble planets is to use yarn in the primary colors of the planet. For Earth, these colors are green and blue with a little white mixed in (Image 1). Grab a 5-1/2-centimeter pom-pom maker and begin wrapping it with striped sections of blue, white and green yarn (Image 2). Repeat this process on the second half of the pom-pom maker, then fasten the tool closed (Image 3). Run your scissors along the recessed grooves in the tool and cut the loops of yarn. To hold everything together, tie the pom-pom off in the grooves with a piece of yarn, then release the tool (Image 4). Use your scissors to trim any of the uneven portions of the pom-pom to clean it up (Image 5). Just like that, you’ve created the cutest Earth in the solar system.

Craft Pom-Pom Jupiter

Jupiter is known for its Great Red Spot, so this is a must-have feature on a pom-pom Jupiter. Beyond this red feature, the base colors of Jupiter vary and include many shades of white, orange, brown, red and yellow. To best achieve this variegated look, use a yarn with a neutral base and colorful flecks throughout. Wrap the neutral yarn around a 7-centimeter pom-pom maker, covering the entirety of one half of the tool and around 70 percent of the second half. Fill the remaining empty space with the red yarn, then follow the aforementioned process of cutting the yarn, tying off and trimming.

Craft Pom-Pom Saturn

Out of all the planets in our solar system, Saturn has the most out-of-this-world feature by a few lightyears. The rings of Saturn set it apart visually and make it a little more difficult to make into a pom-pom, but it's not impossible. To create a pom-pom Saturn, start by wrapping light yellow yarn around a 7-centimeter pom-pom maker. Justify the yarn to each side of the two halves, leaving the center portions clear. In the centers, wrap gray and pink yarn until it is nearly twice as thick as the yellow yarn. Follow the standard procedure of cutting and tying off the pom-pom, then trim the yarn to more closely resemble Saturn.

Craft Remaining Planets

To finish up the remaining planets in the solar system as well as the Sun, follow the standard pom-pom making procedure, adjusting the colors and sizes accordingly. We recommend the following combinations:

Create Mobile

To set these planets into motion, you’ll need to craft a mobile. Start by cutting three pieces of cotton twine in equal lengths. The length will be determined by the height of your ceilings and the desired hanging height of the mobile. Once the twine is cut, tie the end of each piece at equidistant points on an embroidery hoop (Image 1). Bundle the other ends of the twine together along with a long piece of fishing line. This will eventually hang down and hold the pom-pom sun. Loop the pieces over and hot glue to hold in place. Wrap another piece of yarn around the bundle to cover the unfinished edges and hold the bundle together. To secure all of the twine, hot glue as you wrap (Image 2). Once the frame of the mobile is complete, it's time to attach the pom-pom planets. Start by tying the sun to the fishing line that hangs from the center. Repeat this process around the circumference of the embroidery hoop with the planets. To create visual interest, hang the planets at varying heights. This process may prove easiest with the mobile attached to the ceiling.

Pro Tip: To increase the strength of the cotton twine holding the mobile, tie off the twine in addition to hot gluing. This will result in a bulkier aesthetic, but a much stronger hold.

Final Steps

Once all the planets have been attached and the mobile has been mounted, give it a few spins and test to ensure it securely hangs in place. If it passes the the test, stand back and admire your work!