How to Make a Baby Shower Baby Clothing Bouquet

Co-authored by Jeanne Walker

Last Updated: September 22, 2022 References

Baby showers are a perfect opportunity to gift a new mom with clothing for her baby. Rather than presenting the clothing in its original packaging, consider taking a more creative route and making a bouquet instead. In this article, we'll show you how to create an adorable baby shower bouquet out of onesies, socks, and other baby items.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Creating Your Design

1
Choose your color scheme. Ask the expectant mother if she prefers a color. If she does not, match the color scheme to the baby's gender or choose a gender neutral scheme instead. Pink is typically used for girls while blue is used for boys. Purple, yellow, green, and white are all great gender-neutral colors.
2
Decide how big you want the bouquet to be. A small bouquet might have only 6 flowers while a standard bouquet would have 12. A large bouquet would have 24 flowers. Keep in mind that the bigger the bouquet is, the longer it will take to make and the harder it will be to manage.

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3
Buy a few multi-packs of baby clothes. Instead of just buying a bunch of onesies separately, buy a multi-pack instead. You will get a set of 3 to 6 onesies in coordinating patterns and colors. For a more interesting bouquet, buy multi-packs of other baby clothes as well, such as socks, bibs, or leggings. For example, your bouquet could contain the following:
- 1 baby hat
- 5 baby socks
- 3 diaper covers
- 2 onesies
4
Cut the tags off, if needed. Leave the how-to-wash tags inside the garments, but remove any price tags hanging off of the clothes. Do not pull these off, however, or you will risk tearing the delicate fabric. Instead, use scissors to cut the tags off.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Creating the Flowers

1
Fold your items into narrow strips. For onesies, fold the left and right side edges towards the middle, then fold it in half lengthwise so that the side edges are sandwiched inside. For all other items, fold them lengthwise to create a 2 to 3-inch (5.1 to 7.6-cm) wide strip.^{[1]
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- Treat pairs of baby socks as a single sock. Stack the left and right socks together so that they match up.
- If an item as a scalloped edge or brim, keep this edge on the outside of the strip. You'll incorporate this into the flower's design.
2
Roll the strips into tubes, then secure them with clear tape. Pick 1 of the narrow ends of your strip, then roll it towards the other narrow end. Tape the edge of the strip down with 1 to 2 strips of clear tape. Work 1 item at a time.
- Roll the strips at a slight angle. This will create a more realistic bud shape as well as create a taper.^{[2]
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- Use your fingers to curl the top edges of the bloom away from the center to create a more realistic flower. Don't get carried away, however, or it will come apart.
- Instead of using tape, you can use a hair tie or rubber band instead. Choose a color that matches the flower.
3
Slide a floral wire through the bottom of each bud. Buy a pack of 16- or 18-gauge wire stems from the floral section of a craft store. Slide 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of each stem through the bottom of each bud.^{[3]
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- If the bud has a scalloped edge, slide the wire through the other end. This way, the scalloped edge will create the petals.
- For heavier items, consider using wooden floral stems instead. They look like green skewers, and you can find them in the floral section of a craft store.
4
Secure the bottom of the bud, if needed. There are 2 ways that you can do this. The simplest is to wrap a hair tie or rubber band around the bottom of the bud. Alternatively, you can wrap green floral tape around the bottom edge of the bud and extend it onto the stem for about 2 inches (5.1 cm). This will create a more realistic bud.^{[4]
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5
Decide how you want to finish the bouquet. A basic bouquet will require you to gather the flowers together, then tie them with a ribbon. It works the best for smaller bouquets consisting of 6 to 12 flowers. A container bouquet works better for larger bouquets consisting of 12 to 24 flowers. It will allow you to set the bouquet into a flower pot or pail for added stability.
- Click here to finish a basic bouquet.
- Click here to finish a container bouquet.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Finishing a Basic Bouquet

1
Add silk flowers and greenery, if desired. Buy some silk flowers that match your design, and add them to the bouquet. Alternatively, you can buy some silk greenery--such as fern fronds--and add them to the outside of the bouquet instead.^{[5]
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Research source} A third option is to cut the greenery out of green tissue paper or construction paper.^{[6]
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- Any kind of greenery works in a bouquet. Fruit greens, eucalyptus, and ground cover greens are all great options.^{[7]
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  Florist
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2020.}
- Choose greenery that really contrasts with the flowers in your arrangement to give the bouquet a happy, bright feeling.^{[8]
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  Jeanne Walker
  Florist
  Expert Interview. 15 April 2020.}
2
Gather the flowers together and secure them with tape. Wrap a piece of tape around the bottom of the bouquet to create a 4 to 6-inch (10 to 15-cm) long handle. It will help make the bouquet look more realistic and easier to hold.^{[9]
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- Alternatively, you can wrap hair ties or rubber bands around the bottom of the bouquet.
3
Wrap tissue paper and/or cellophane around the bouquet. Set down a sheet of coordinating tissue paper or clear cellophane. Place the bouquet at the bottom-left corner, then roll everything towards the top-right corner. Secure the wrapper with a piece of clear tape.^{[10]
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- Position the bouquet so that the wrapper extends past the flowers and is level with the bottom of the stems.
- For a fancier bouquet, wrap the bouquet with tissue paper first, then wrap it with clear cellophane.
- For a more useful bouquet, use a baby blanket instead of tissue paper. It would be a good idea to wrap clear cellophane around it to hold everything together, however.
4
Wrap a ribbon around the stems and tie it into a bow. Choose a wide, satin ribbon that matches or coordinates with your bouquet. Wrap it a few times around the stems to ensure stability, then tie the ends into a pretty bow. For a nicer touch, cut the ends of the ribbon at angles or into notches.
- If the ribbon is fraying, seal the ends with a flame.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Finishing a Container Bouquet

1
Choose a flower pot or metal pail for the bouquet. Make sure that the container matches the theme of your bouquet. For example, instead of using a plain terracotta flower pot or a bare-metal pail, try the following:
- Spray paint the container white to keep things neutral.
- Spray paint the container pink or blue to match the baby's gender.
- Use stencils to add polka dots for a fancier touch. Use white for pink or blue containers, and pink/blue for white containers.
2
Trim the wire stems down to the height of the container, if needed. The stems of the "flowers" need to be short enough so that they are completely hidden by your container; the blooms should be sticking out just over the rim. Use heavy-duty wire cutters to cut wire stems; if you have wooden stems, snap them between your fingers instead.
3
Tuck a piece of tissue paper into the container for a nicer look. The tissue paper should be big enough to stick out over the top edges of your container by a few inches/centimeters. If the tissue paper is too big and obscures the flowers, cut or fold it in half.^{[11]
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- Choose a color that coordinates with your container. For example, if you have a white container with pink polka dots, try pink tissue paper.
4
Stick a piece of floral Styrofoam into the bottom of the container. The foam should be tall enough to reach halfway up the side of the container. If the foam is too tall, cut it down with a serrated knife. Make sure that the width of your foam matches the bottom width of your container.^{[12]
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- Use a square block of Styrofoam for square containers and a dome or disk-shaped piece of Styrofoam for round containers.
- Do not use the smooth, dark green, squishy foam meant for real flowers. It won't hold as well and is unnecessary.
5
Stick the flowers into the container, starting from the middle. Choose your largest flower, and stick it straight into the container, right in the middle. Add the rest of the flowers around it, working your way towards the edges of the container. Push the flowers in deep enough so that the stems touch the bottom of the container.^{[13]
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6
Fill the gaps in with silk flowers or greenery, if needed. If you notice gaps in your bouquet, you should fill them in. Buy some silk flowers that match your bouquet, trim them down, then add them in. Alternatively, get some silk greenery and add it in. Alternatively, you can make more flowers using extra baby clothes, and add those in instead.^{[14]
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- Again, the silk flowers need to be just tall enough to peak over the top edge of the container.
7
Wrap and tie a matching ribbon around the container. Choose a wide, satin ribbon that goes well with your bouquet. Find the middle and add a piece of double-sided tape to keep it from sliding. Wrap the ribbon around the container, then tie the ends into a bow. Cut the ends of the ribbon into notches or angles for a nicer touch.
- If the ribbon is fraying, seal the ends with a flame.
8
Finished.

Expert Q&A

Question

What type of greenery is best for an accent?

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Jeanne Walker is a Florist and the Owner of Fringe Flower Company, a floral design shop that specializes in weddings, special events, and daily deliveries. Fringe Flower Company, based in Walnut Creek, California, provides customized hand-tied and vase bouquets along with potted plants, succulent gardens, tulip french buckets, and wreaths. Jeanne also conducts floral design workshops and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jeanne Walker

Florist

Expert Answer

I am a garden-style designer so I pretty much will grab any greenery that I think is going to work in a bouquet. I believe any greenery works because that's how gardens are in nature. My favorites are fruit greens and Eucalyptus. Ground cover greens also work really well on arrangements because they give them a garden-y look, they tend to be long-lasting, and they complement the flowers well.
Question

What shade of green is good for the greenery in a baby shower bouquet?

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Jeanne Walker is a Florist and the Owner of Fringe Flower Company, a floral design shop that specializes in weddings, special events, and daily deliveries. Fringe Flower Company, based in Walnut Creek, California, provides customized hand-tied and vase bouquets along with potted plants, succulent gardens, tulip french buckets, and wreaths. Jeanne also conducts floral design workshops and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jeanne Walker

Florist

Expert Answer

The right shade all comes down to mood. If you want your bouquet to have a bright, happy mood, go with something that highly contrasts the flowers, like a bright green.
Question

How can I make sure the flowers I'm using for my bouquet are fresh?

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Jeanne Walker is a Florist and the Owner of Fringe Flower Company, a floral design shop that specializes in weddings, special events, and daily deliveries. Fringe Flower Company, based in Walnut Creek, California, provides customized hand-tied and vase bouquets along with potted plants, succulent gardens, tulip french buckets, and wreaths. Jeanne also conducts floral design workshops and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jeanne Walker

Florist

Expert Answer

You want the stems to be a nice green color, and you want the cuts to be fresh green or white and not brown. Check the leaves too. If they're turning brown or rotting, that's not a good sign. You want everything to be green and fresh looking.