Baby Sock Rose Instructions

Are you tired of the same old ribbon or silk flower corsages, store-bought package bows and cookie-cutter decorations for a baby shower, a "welcome to the world" hospital gift or Christening party? Make decorations for the special event with tiny baby socks that the little one can wear and decrease the garbage from a room full of party decorations. Use the baby sock roses to top off a no-cholesterol party cake made from diapers.

Lay a tiny sock on to your work surface in a horizontal position. Fold the top of the sock toe toward the sock body at a slight angle. Tightly fold the material toward the top of the sock three times, keeping the bottom of the sock even. Turn the cuff of the sock inside out, being careful to keep the fabric folded. Wrap the cuff up over the bottom of the folded portion of the sock. Use a 6- to 8-inch piece of floral wire for a corsage rose. Place wire against the against the rolled cuff. Hold the end of the floral tape at an angle and wrap it very tightly around the rose bottom and the wire. The floral wire gives structure and stability to the roses in a corsage. Substitute wire and floral tape with needle and thread to finish off a sock rose with tacking stitches. Sew a few short stitches, back and forth through the cloth to keep the shape of the rose intact and secure.

For a touch of green, you can tape a satin or silk rose or leather leaf piece to the back of the flower. Add puffs of nylon netting, and wrap the wire stems in place. Use one to three sock roses for a corsage. Use floral tape to wrap the three rose stems with the longest wired rose stem at the top. Tie a bow at the bottom of the corsage. For an additional cuteness factor, use a colorful diaper pin to attach the corsage to an expectant mother's or grandmother's clothing at the baby shower or hospital.

Make up a number of sock roses to decorate the diaper cake at a baby shower or Christening party. Assemble the roses on short, cloth-covered wire stems and wrap the entire piece of wire to prevent damage to the diapers. Insert rose stems in to the separations between two diapers. You can also fill bud vases with single sock rose buds for table pieces at a shower or party for a newborn and family. A cluster of sock roses can be attached as a package embellishment instead of using a large bow. The socks can be formed into a cluster and sewn to the outer edge of a bassinet or on to the top edge of a diaper stacker. Write a short instructional note on a card to the new mother directing her to cut the small stitches away or to release the floral tape on the wired stems.