Here are two diaper cakes I made for baby showers last week. This has kind of become my specialty at work.
These "cakes" are really easy, but a little time consuming to make. I use size 3 diapers. It generally takes about half of a big box of diapers (about 50 per cake). Here are the steps:
1. Roll all of the diapers tightly and secure with ribbon (I use curling ribbon)
2. Cut a 16 inch wide circle out of cardboard for the base. (I use an 8 inch string tied to a thumbtack to draw the circle and cut it out with power scissors)
3. Start by tying 3 diapers together standing up, this is how you start each layer.
4. For the middle and bottom layer, surround the initial 3 diapers with more diapers until the ring looks full, then secure the rings together with the curling ribbon. I don't count because the number could vary based on how tightly the diapers are rolled.
5. Add one more ring to the bottom layer and tie tightly with the curling ribbon.
6. I use loops of masking tape to attach the layers to each other and the cardboard base.
7. For the top layer, I surround a cheap bottle with diapers. Sometimes I fill the bottle with stuff, but it depends on the theme.
8. After the cake is assembled, I use 2.5 inch polyester ribbon followed by another thinner more decorative ribbon to wrap each tier. The wider ribbon helps make the cake look more finished.
9. Finally, I use school glue to attach paper Easter grass to the cardboard, being careful not to get glue on the diapers (You want your friends to be able to use them later after all). Then I decorate based on my theme.
