A Call for Help!

Like many crafters out there I instantly fell in love with this Bird mobile and determined to make it for my nursery.  Well make it I did, but I wanted a bit more. It seems as though there is an abundance of bird and bird-like crafts out there and while I can't shake my love for it all, I didn't want just birds on a branch. I like the idea of birds + fish. Air and sea, sky and water, etc... You get the picture. Recently, while registering at a local baby store I saw another fish mobile and I loved it. But what would I need with 2 mobiles-Nothing. I only have so much ceiling space. I was determined to recreate it and add it to my bird mobile.

The pattern is complete and I have written out the instructions. My call for help is this: How do I make this into a down-loadable pattern like the bird mobile. Any and all advice is needed and appreciated. This will be a free pattern available to all, I only ask for knowledge in exchange. I have no idea where to start. Can I use Photoshop or do I need Illustrator. I ask for anything from full instructions to bits and pieces of advice. Anything to get the job done.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!!
Here is the low down on the bird part of the mobile. I followed the pattern as written except that I didn't hand sew any part. Originally, I stuffed the tail but after many frustrated attempts to balance the bird on the branch, I determined that the tail was too much weight. I unstuffed it and machine top stitched the tail closed, without tucking in the raw edges. I love the look, almost feathery.

Next, I stitched on 3'' long cuts of different color pipe cleaners. I tacked them down with 2 tack each on the tummy. This really helped to stabilize and secure. I wanted to use the pipe cleaners so I could adjust the balance and placement on the branch and they look so much like bird feet.

Lastly, I picked some thick gnarled branches and anchored in some screw eyes. I found that just knotting on some string did not stabilize the branch enough. The metal screw eyes add something that I like but I can't put my finger on it. 

Overall, I love the finished product and have gotten some many compliments. I think my tweaks have made the bird mobile much less frustrating and more fun.

Comments

[Stephanie]

Tara, the mobile is awesome! I love the color of the nursery too! I don't know much about patterns, but I'll try. One option is to use MS Publisher. It allows you to make line drawings in different sizes, though there is a little bit of a learning curve. Good luck! I'll look out for the pattern. Or if it's a small pattern, you could draw it on paper, then take it to kinko's and have them save it as a PDF file. I'm pretty sure they can do that.

[Shaun]

so the fish are under water, but still over the baby?

aren't you just (metaphorically) drowning your baby?

[Melanie C]

If you don't know how to use PS or Illustrator, it can be unnecessarily complicated. You can easily type out the document in word or publisher, then either use a graphics program to draw out the images or hand draw them and scan them in and insert them into the doc from there. After that, you can PDF it using Acrobat Distiller (if you don't have it, I can do it for you if you email me the file).

Then you'll have to have a server to host the file, similarly to how flicker or photobucket hosts photos. Your blog software may have some hosting stuff, otherwise I'm not entirely sure where else you could do it from. Then just post a link to the hosted PDF file, and people can download it.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Come to think about it, I might be able to scrounge up some space on our server at home if you need it.

[Jessica Allman]

I love the mobile Tara! Its so sweet, I'm sure your new daughter will love it too!

[futuregirl]

I like the twist of pipe cleaner to simulate the waves on the water. It's all so cute!