Diaper Cake

I promised to show some photos of a diaper cake I recently made for a friend who was expecting!

Diaper cakes are fun gifts to make and very practical for new parents.  I really enjoy making the small gifts to decorate the cake with and then putting it all together.  The end result is always SO much better than you can imagine it would be!

You need something to cover the bottom two layers of the cake - usually receiving blankets and/or a larger fleece blanket.  I usually start by finding out what patterns the new parents have chosen (if I can).  Sometimes I just have to wing it - but usually I have something to go on.  In this case, I used some hooded bath towels the parents had on their registry.  Also, I knew the baby would be a girl and that mom was not a fan of too much pink!

Then I go to my yarn stash to see what colors I already have that will work with the pattern.  I use cottons for washcloths, a bib and bottle covers.  I use either baby yarns or very soft 4-ply yarn for the other items - in this case I made a sweater, hat and bootie set and a ball.  

I also look for coordinating ribbons in 2 widths: 1/4-inch (to adorn the bottle covers) and 1-1/2 to 2 inches to go around the 'cake layers'.

Most of my ideas and a few of the patterns come from a pattern you can purchase on www.gourmetcrochet.com.  Carolyn Christmas does a superb job of creating beautiful items..... mine is cute but in no way compares with her things!  If you want to make a diaper cake, her book is the best I have found and relatively inexpensive!

 
I get free online patterns for many baby items I make from www.bevscountrycottage.com.  Bev runs a fantastic site to encourage people to sew, knit and crochet for charity.  Her patterns are tried and true and relatively quick and easy to make.

The hooded towels from my new parents' registry that I used to provide the color choices and the bottle covers (without the ribbon trim)

The little crocheted roses always take me the longest though they are not difficult to make.  They really look like icing roses on the cake and make a beautiful finishing touch.  They can be saved and added to a blanket or something later on!

The diaper rolling and building is when it starts getting exciting!  Sometimes you can add small tokens like little lotions or gifts for MOM inside!

I usually use blankets to cover the layers but tried something new this time :-)  I think it worked fairly well.  I fasten the blankets with diaper pins. 

Handmade items are attached with both diaper pins and pearl headed straight pins.  You have to warn about the pins - but you want the cake to be easily dismantled so the items can be used!  It would also be easy to create with all store bought gifts :-)

I had to finish it up in the car because I was doing this with my daughter and she had purchased the bottles that were on the registry!  We purchased a rattle in the right colors to use as a cake topper just for fun.  The icing roses make this an 'official' cake and are fastened on with straight pins.

...and so.... voila!  A pretty gift to give - that also makes a super centerpiece for a shower!

Let me know if you try any of the patterns!