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How to Build a Bear Hanger

Stuffed animals are one of the most popular gifts to give a child, and even babies' rooms soon contain a herd worthy of the Serengeti. A parent can pile the critters on a bed or a shelf, but they look untidy and the most beloved toy too often ends up hidden at the bottom of the heap. The solution? A bear hanger that displays your child's collection, keeping the animals within easy reach without tying up bed, shelf or floor space.

Things You'll Need

Framed lattice panel
Spray paint
Sturdy craft ribbon
Drill/driver
2 D-ring picture hangers (hardware used to attach wire to wooden picture frames)
Picture hanging wire strong enough to support the weight of the lattice
2 Picture hanging hooks strong enough to support the weight of the lattice

Instructions

Making the Hanger
- 1
  
  Home and garden stores carry framed lattice in many designs and sizes.
  
  Search online and in home and garden stores for a suitable panel of framed lattice. Lattice is available in wood and plastic and in many different shapes and sizes. Although the most common panel is a 4-foot by 8-foot rectangle, a smaller or uniquely shaped panel may fit in better with your decor. A 2-foot by 8-foot panel or a set of two 1-foot by 4-foot panels could be ideal, depending on how many stuffed animals you wish to hang.
- 2
  
  Spray-painting lattice is much quicker than painting it with a brush.
  
  Spray-paint the lattice in a color that complements the decor of the room in which it will hang. Allow to dry for 24 hours.
- 3
  
  You'll probably want the stuffed animals to be arranged more loosely than this.
  
  Determine how you want the panel to be oriented. Orienting it so that a long side is on top will help keep it out of the reach of a toddler who likes to climb things. With the lattice flat on a horizontal surface, arrange the stuffed animals on it so that their necks will be at places where the laths (the thin boards) of the lattice cross and their feet will point down from the top of the frame when it hangs on the wall.
- 4
  
  Sturdy ribbon will hold the bears on the hanger.
  
  Cut 24 inch sections of sturdy ribbon; grosgrain or wired ribbon works well. Remove one animal at a time and tie a piece of ribbon around the cross where its neck was. Don't make a bow; allow the ends to hang down evenly. Double knot the ribbon so that it will not fall off.
Mounting the Bear Hanger
- 5
  Lay the bear hanger face down. Drill a small pilot hole on the back of what will be the vertical parts of the frame at a third of the way from the top. Screw D-ring hangers into those holes, and attach picture hanging wire between the D-rings as if the lattice panel were a big picture frame.
- 6
  Choose a location for the bear hanger, keeping in mind that you will need at least two hooks screwed into wall studs to support its weight. Screw hooks into pilot holes in the studs and hang the hanger as you would hang a heavy picture.
- 7
  Attach the stuffed animals by tying the ribbon ends firmly around their necks with the same type of knot and bow you would use to tie a shoe. This way they can be removed from and returned to the hanger.

Stuffed Animals