How to Make a Baby Hamper: A Step-by-Step Baby Gift Basket Guide
Written By Rebecca Lynes | Founder of Tiny Welcome
Making your own baby hamper is a lovely way to create a thoughtful and personal gift for a new arrival. But knowing what to put into a hamper, and how to arrange everything so that it looks attractive and stays securely in place, can take a little planning.
At Tiny Welcome, we've been making and selling baby gift baskets for many years. In this guide, I'll show you step by step how I put together one of our traditional wicker baby hampers, from choosing and preparing the gifts to arranging everything neatly and wrapping the finished basket in cellophane.
The exact items you choose can, of course, be different. The same basic method can be adapted to suit your own basket and selection of new baby gifts.
Watch How We Make a Baby Hamper
If you'd like to see how the hamper comes together, watch the video below showing how I prepare, arrange and wrap the baby gift basket. For a more detailed explanation of each stage, follow the written step-by-step guide below.
What You'll Need to Make a Baby Hamper
For the hamper shown in this guide, I use an oval white shabby-chic wicker basket measuring approximately 38 x 22 x 9 cm. For an open hamper, I prefer an oval basket to a square one, as I find it easier to display the gifts inside. Here's everything I use for this basket:
- Cellular pram blanket
- Hooded baby towel
- Muslin square
- Baby bodysuit
- Baby hat
- Pair of baby bootees
- Baby sponge
- Newborn elephant rattle
- Button Corner tooth and curl keepsake box
- Decorative ribbon
- Cellophane
- Curling ribbon
- Satin ribbon for the finishing bow
- Floral wire
- Clear tape
- Sharp scissors suitable for cutting ribbon and cellophane
You don't need to use exactly the same combination of products. When choosing what to put in a baby hamper, I like to include a mixture of practical gifts that parents can use, along with a small teddy or soft rattle, and perhaps a keepsake.
Step 1: Check and Prepare the Baby Gifts
Before I begin arranging the hamper, I unwrap the individual products where appropriate and check each one carefully for any damage or imperfections.
I then roll the towel, cellular blanket, muslin square and bodysuit neatly and tie each one individually with decorative ribbon. I use a soft grey organza ribbon for this hamper, which adds a decorative finish without hiding too much of the item underneath. I neaten the ribbon ends by folding them together and cutting them in a V-shape from the inside to the corners.
Rolling the textile items does several things. It makes the larger, softer products much more compact, gives them enough structure to stand attractively in a shallow basket, and means that several different gifts can remain clearly visible in the finished hamper.
Step 2: How to Arrange a Baby Gift Basket
I begin by placing the Button Corner tooth and curl keepsake box centrally in the wicker basket.
I then build the larger rolled items around it. To the right-hand side of the keepsake box, I position the towel and then the muslin. To the left, I place the cellular blanket followed by the bodysuit.
When arranging a baby gift basket, it helps to think about height as well as left-to-right positioning. Taller items create shape towards the back and sides, while smaller gifts can be used lower down and towards the front.
I regularly look at the basket from the front as I work rather than only looking down into it. This makes it much easier to see what the finished hamper will actually look like.
Step 3: Use the Smaller Gifts to Fill the Gaps
Next, I roll the baby hat neatly and tuck it underneath the towel and muslin.
The baby sponge is gently compressed and fitted into the remaining space between the hat and the towel and muslin.
I use the smaller, softer gifts in this way to fill any awkward gaps. This helps the basket look full and balanced, whilst giving the larger items additional support and reducing unwanted movement.
The elephant rattle is then placed between the back of the keepsake box and the back of the basket, facing forward, where it is displayed centrally.
Finally, the bootees sit prominently towards the front on top of the keepsake box.
The aim isn't simply to fit everything inside - you want each gift to be visible and the overall arrangement to look balanced.
Step 4: Secure the Contents in Place
Once I'm happy with the arrangement, I secure the main items to the wicker basket.
The ribbons that have already been tied around the towel, muslin, blanket and bodysuit are useful here. I use a thinner ribbon to attach each item securely to the basket, threading it through the natural gaps in the wicker and tying it firmly so that the items remain in their intended positions.
The elephant is tied in place as well, and the bootees are carefully sewn to the front of the basket with a needle and thread.
This is an important part of making a baby hamper, particularly if it is going to be transported or delivered. A basket can look perfectly arranged while sitting on a work surface but shift considerably once it is picked up if the individual items have not been secured well.
You don't necessarily need to copy my exact method. Just make sure that anything you use to secure the gifts is unobtrusive, doesn't damage the products and can be removed easily by the recipient.
Step 5: How to Wrap a Baby Hamper in Cellophane
I like to use white dotty cellophane, which gives the basket a decorative finish while still allowing all of the gifts inside to be seen.
First, I measure out enough cellophane for the basket to sit centrally on it, with enough material remaining to the front and back to reach well above the top of the hamper. For this basket, I use cellophane approximately 80 cm wide and 98 cm long. (You can purchase small lengths of cellophane rather than a large roll.)
I place the basket on the cellophane and bring the front and back sections upwards to meet at the top.
I then bring the corners towards the centre, gently gathering and pleating the material as I go. The aim is to bring everything together above the middle of the hamper without having large untidy sections sticking out at the sides.
Holding the gathered cellophane firmly with one hand, I wrap curling ribbon around it with the other and tie it securely at the back with a double knot.
Once the top is secure, I work around the basket and tidy the remaining cellophane. I bring the excess at the back down, tuck it underneath and secure it with clear tape. I then roll or fold the cellophane at the sides in neatly and tape it into position as well.
It is worth taking a little extra time over this stage. Neatly pleated and folded cellophane makes a considerable difference to the appearance of the finished gift basket.
Step 6: Add the Finishing Bow
To finish the hamper, I add a handmade satin ribbon bow.
I make the bow separately, then push a length of floral wire through the back and use this to secure it around the base of the gathered cellophane at the top of the basket. I twist the wire at the back and fold it in on itself.
There are lots of different ways to make a decorative ribbon bow, so I'm concentrating in this guide on assembling and wrapping the baby hamper rather than the bow-making technique itself.
Finally, I fan out the cellophane at the top and curl the lengths of curling ribbon at the back.
Your Finished Baby Hamper
And that's it - your baby gift basket is ready to give.
You can adapt the same method to suit different basket sizes, colour schemes and combinations of gifts. The main principles are to choose items that work well together, create some height in the arrangement, use smaller products to fill awkward gaps, secure everything so that it stays in place and take a little time over the wrapping and finishing touches.
Making your own baby hamper can be a lovely way to create a very personal new baby gift.
If you'd prefer to have one made for you, you can browse our baby gift baskets, which are carefully arranged and packed, gift-wrapped and ready to send directly to the recipient with your personal gift message.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making a Baby Hamper
What should I put in a baby hamper?
A baby hamper can include a mixture of practical newborn essentials and small keepsakes. Baby clothing, blankets, muslins, soft toys and nursery accessories can all work well. Try to choose items that complement one another and can be arranged neatly within your basket or gift box.
What size basket is best for a baby hamper?
The best size will depend on how many gifts you want to include. For the baby hamper in this guide, I use an oval wicker basket measuring approximately 38 x 22 x 9 cm, which gives enough room to arrange a selection of baby gifts without leaving the basket looking too empty.
How do you keep items in place in a baby hamper?
I pack items in tightly, then use thin ribbon to secure individual items to the wicker basket where necessary. This helps prevent the gifts from moving around while the hamper is being wrapped and transported. The exact method will depend on the type of basket and the items you've chosen.
How do you wrap a baby hamper in cellophane?
Place the basket centrally on a sheet of cellophane, bring the cellophane up around the basket and gather it above the gifts. Secure the gathered cellophane with curling ribbon before tidying the sides and adding a decorative finishing bow. You can see the full process in the step-by-step guide above.
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