Booties, onesies, bibs, shirts, burpies, and socks, socks, socks. These are what can usually be seen in a baby layette. Easy to find, difficult to choose, sometimes forgotten sometimes not. Preparing for a baby’s layette can sometimes be as fun as choosing colors to paint a room. Not only are these the everyday apparel of babies, but these are the stuff that could only be worn for a few weeks and have to be replaced when the baby starts and continues to grow.
So, you’ve decided to throw a baby shower for the expectant mother, what is the best thing to give her that would be most appreciated, be the most practical and be the most used and abused? Why, a layette of course. Snap of the fingers, get one from the baby store and hand it over in a gaily wrapped box. Not!
Hosting a baby shower for a friend or family member on the way means that you too are excited about the impending birth and it will be your privilege and honor to help out as much as you can. Presenting her with a box wrapped in commercial gift wrap not only shows the mother-to-be that the gift was the last thing on your mind but that it was also the last to be thought about.
Present the gift instead in a way where she would never forget the way it looked, that it is unusual and most of all that you took time to do something about the gift and made it look extra special. Present her with a sock bouquet instead. First reaction, wow, simply beautiful and amazing, second reaction, how on earth did you do this?
Well, a sock bouquet is easily done; all you need to have is a box or a dozen socks – gaily colored socks – some floral wire, wire cutters of heavy duty scissors, artificial flower, berries, fruits, leaves, baby toys and some ribbons.
Unwrap the socks and separate them and lay out on the table, flat. Loosely roll them up from the toes to the heel, make a slight quarter turn and continue until you reach the elasticized opening. Open that fold over the rolled sock.
Open the layers created inside and seen from the opening. Arrange carefully as if it were a flower. Once done, continue on to the next several pairs.
What you have now are sock rosettes. Grab a third from the base and wrap floral wire until you sort of made a false stem with it. Once you created the stem, wrap them with green floral tape. Insert the wire into the sock to prevent it from unwinding.
Do the same process with the other socks until you have completed the ‘stemming.’ Now, wind the floral wire around two then three and then four until you get a mini bouquet. Cover up the evidence of the wire with more floral tape.
The spaces could be inserted with the accenting false pieces of leaves, fruits, etc. You will know when to stop; it will look like a handheld bouquet. This can be used as a gift accent or as a simple bouquet for your friend.
Give this lovely and thoughtfully wrapped (?) gift for your friend who will surely enjoy her gift.