setting up onesie decorating at a baby shower

So my dear friend Miko is expecting a baby in February, and for her shower I was charged with organizing an activity of some kind, preferably of the not-messy variety. I wasn’t inclined toward fabric paint anyway, because even thought that makes the designs really personal, it also makes them look—let’s be honest here—like crap. While it’s nice, I’m sure, to have a handful of baby garments that feel truly expendable, I figured we could do a little better.

I found some ideas online and followed suit, buying a bunch of onesies (mostly all newborn size; if I were to do this again I’d get more of an assortment of sizes if possible) and also some bibs. A nice long roll of Heat ‘n’ Bond was going to be the key to simple, mess-free decorating. In order to ensure all the designs would match, I bought a charm pack of fabrics (Moda Bluebird Park). I considered bringing scraps from my own stash—and this could be an awesome scrapbuster!—but I’m happier with how it all looks using this matched set. I cut out an assortment of simple shapes (turtle, elephant, ice cream cone, letters, random shapes) in heavy-weight paper for people to use as stencils. I also brought some cookie cutters for tracing.

The process goes like this: Cut the Heat ‘n’ Bond into a manageable square—about the size of a charm square or just the size of the chosen shape. Have a guest pick a stencil and trace the shape onto the paper side of the Heat ‘n’ Bond, reminding them that if it has directionality it needs to be traced backward. Do not let them cut it out yet! Take the square and iron it to the back of their chosen fabric, then have them cut it out of the fabric. They can then peel the paper backing off the shape and arrange it how they want on the onesie/bib (no worries about permanence: it won’t stick until ironed again). Then press it into place! Done! I manned the iron for the most part, but people could certainly do that themselves if the iron were conveniently placed (I was in a corner with a mini board on the floor!).

Everyone really got into it and people had some sweet and creative ideas. The mom-to-be even got in on the action, designing her own martini glass for a bib. I did the “H” on a hedgehog circle (the baby’s last name will begin with H), the ice cream cone, and two jigsaw pieces. I think everyone enjoyed it and the results are super cute! I hope mom gets lots of use out of them and smiles whenever the kiddo spits up on one. (They should last in the wash. I imagine they’ll start to come apart after a few washings, but they’ll have done their job!)