How to Repurpose Straws to Make Modern Geometric Mobiles

It’s finally summer! You know what that means, summer rain storms that have you and the kids cooped up in the house instead of outside at the beach. We’ve got the perfect DIY for you that is friendly for the kids and still super chic for your home — a geometric mobile made out of straws! Yes, straws. For under $5 you can whip up three of these and hang them at staggering heights for a conversation-worthy piece above your coffee table.

Materials:
– straws

– wire

– spray paint

Tools:
– scissors

– wire cutter

Instructions:

1. Cut four straws that measure 4 inches, another four that measure 2 inches, and another four that measure 1 1/2 inches.

2. Cut two 16-inch pieces of wire and twist them together to form an X.

3. Slide one 3-inch straw onto each arm of the X. Then slide a 1-inch piece onto an arm and cross it over to make a triangle. Twist the wire together so it stays in place. Keep threading the 1-inch straw pieces and crossing them over until you have a square pyramid with wire tails.

4. Slide the four last straws onto the ends of the wire tails, then twist together to form a point.

5. For the next shape, cut 12 straws that measure 2 inches. Create the wire web, string on to create a square pyramid then finish by stringing on the bottom pieces and twisting to a point.

6. Create one large shape of straws at the same size and one large pyramid with straws at the same ratio of 2:1.

7. Arrange the 10 shapes together. We strung the two large shapes together and the small ones in pairs on the corners.

Let’s get making!

Your first shape is going to be a long diamond shape. You are going to want to cut four straws that measure 4 inches in length, four straws that measure 2 inches, and four straws that measure 1 1/2 inches.

Cut two pieces of wire that measure about 16 inches, twist them together to form an X.

Slide the 4-inch pieces onto the X first, followed by the 2-inch pieces. Fold the wire down so the straws meet and form a triangle. Once you’ve connected all the 2-inch pieces you should have a square pyramid.

Add the four 1 1/2-inch straws to the tails and twist together into a point. First shape done. Time to make three more!

The second shape is a square pyramid with equal sides. Cut 12 straws that measure 2 inches in length. Create the wire web, string them on and fold over to create the square bottom. Then string the last four onto the wire tails and twist together to form a point. Create three more!

Time to make giant diamonds! These straws measured 8 inches in length.

Create one large elongated pyramid. We cut four pieces that measured 8 inches and eight pieces that measured 4 inches.

Look at all these fun shapes! Let’s string them together.

Twist the two large pieces together and then two small pieces together. You should now have five pairs.

Twist the small pieces onto each corner of the larger square pyramid.

Trim the extra wire with the wire cutters and create a loop on top to hang your geometric mobile.

Neon straws wasn’t the look we were going for, so we spray painted our mobile black. Feel free to spray paint it any color! Teal maybe??

We dig the drawn effect that these mobiles give to a space.

If only we chose purple, it would look like Harold was here with his purple crayon.

Try making two or three and displaying them at varying heights. You know what they say: The more the merrier ;)!