I really wanted to feature another of my more recent projects, to at least put one up before the month ends. (Talk about last minute? *LOL*) Anyhow, after posting my towel cake for my sister-in-law’s shower, I also wanted to get up the diaper cake I madeas a gift for my close friend Amy’s baby shower. This was, by far, a much more complicated project. And to start off, I will say this was my first actual diaper cake I have ever made. 🙂 And a warning to those thinking that this will be a “cheap homemade gift”, it’s really not. All of the “ingredients” tend to add up! 🙂
Basically, this “cake” is made up of three layers of diapers.
To make, you’d need the following supplies:
- Enough diapers to build your layers…this one used 66 diapers
- 4 recieving blankets
- 1 small baby bottle, 1 large baby bottle
- Johnson & Johnson baby travel kit (with small “sample” size items like shampoos, lotion, etc.)
- Small baby toys for the outside
- Other misc items to put around sides
- “Topper” toy
- Ribbons (wide ones look best)
- Rubber bands: tiny to hold together rolled diapers, and larger to hold bundled layers
Before you start assembling, you need to get the logistics of how everything comes together. The bottles are the supports in the middle of the cake. (Much like how I used a wooden dowel to hold the towel cake together.) Diapers are rolled first individually, and then arranged around the bottles. The recieving blankets are the “icing”.
It is easiest to individually roll all of the diapers first. The tinier elastics are used for this.
Now, start with the bottom tier. Use the large bottle as your support in the middle. (This will carry on to be your support for the middle tier, as well. If you only plan to make 2 tiers, you will only need the one large bottle.) The larger elastics (or curling ribbon) come in handy for this step! Start arranging the rolled diapers, in one even layer of thickness, around the bottle. Use an elastic to secure. Then start a new layer around the first one, securing again. Then complete with a third, and final, layer. (This tier took me 39 diapers.) At this point, if you plan on covering with receiving blankets (you can, alternatively, leave the diapers exposed), I feel it easiest to do it now. I needed two blankets for my bottom tier. Tie a ribbon around the blanket (or around the bare diapers) and tie a bow.
Continue on with the middle tier, on top of the bottom one. This will need two layers of rolled diapers around the top portion of the bottle. Notice the top of the tier will be “empty” in the middle. Finish the second tier the same as you did the bottom one. (This tier took 20 diapers for me.)
For the top tier, you will be arranging one layer of rolled diapers around the top of the small bottle. Notice the bottom part of the bottle sticks out of the bottom of the tier? This part will fit into the empty gap in the middle tier…for stability! (This tier took just 7 diapers.)
After finishing each tier with blankets and ribbon, you can start decorating! The sky is the limit, based on the theme you want to use. The Johnson & Johnson travel kit I mentioned gives a good variety of different bath/toiletry items. Stuffed animals (baby safe, of course) make good toppers for the diaper cake.
A note: different alterations can affect the tiers. I used all size 1 diapers, which can pretty much be used by the new mother immediately. Bigger sizes can affect the approx. numbers, and also affect the height of the tiers. One creative thing could be to make each tier a different size diaper, so the new mother can take off one layer at a time (as the baby grows) to get to different sizes! This would also make each tier graduate in height.
Happy crafting!
(EDIT: Found my exact diaper numbers. When I first did this, no one site for help could give me any estimate for what was needed. I decided this was not very helpful, especially when you have to purchase supplies in advance. The blog entry was edited accordingly!)