This was really my whole inspiration for the shower. I saw a segment on Martha Stewart about making one of these and instantly put it on the list. Of course Martha makes it look so much easier, but after some trial and error I figured out what worked best for me and I'm pretty happy with the results.
What's really important is how they look from the top, if the floral tape gets a little funky at the bottom or the stems don't stick perfectly straight into the styrofoam - don't fret! You won't actually see any of that when you're finished!
What you need:
Random baby clothes, I used: 5 onsies, 8 baby washcloths, 2 pairs of mittens, 2 pairs of socks, a sun hat, and a burp clothFloral tape
Floral wire (the thicker the better)
Terra cotta pot (decorated, if you desire)
Styrofoam
Fake foliage, tissue paper (optional, helps fill in the gaps)
What you do:
1. Making each "flower" is a different process and really comes down to what you think looks nice. The onsies are the easiest to start with; fold in the sleeves and the butt making a rectangle. Roll into a long tube.
2. To create the "stem," loop the wire around the center of the tube wrap the wire a few times. Fold the tube in half and start wrapping the floral tape half way down the flower until you reach the wire. It takes a little practice to use the tape (as you wrap, pull the tape tight and it gets sticky). I still had to use a dab of glue stick to get the tape end to stick, which won't effect the clothes.
3. Repeat with all your baby clothes. I used some neon green ribbon with some of the flowers that were a little bland. You could add mini flowers, leaves, beads, whatever floats your boat.
4. Next, cut the Styrofoam to fit into your pot. I layered it twice, since the flowers are so top-heavy.
5. Alternate sticking in the flowers with the foliage. It make take a little rearranging to get it right.