Homemade Diaper Cake

When my Mother in Law came to me and asked me to create a diaper cake for a baby shower I was hesitant. I had never heard of them let alone seen one, and really didn't know how difficult it would be to create on my own. I started looking into it. They can cost as much as 300 bucks to have someone else create them. I went looking for a tutorial and found a ton of them online (especially youtube.com). I decided to combine a few of the tutorials I found (mainly because I found things with each that I liked/didn't like) and went shopping for the ingredients.
My list was this:

Diapers (too many is better than not enough):

• 8 for the top layer
• 19 for the second layer
• 40 for the third layer
• 60 for the last layer (I added a 4th layer)
  

Ribbon:

• 2 different colors, 2 different widths

Rubber bands Assorted kind
Dowel rods (at least 2)

And a few things I already had:

Hot Glue Gun
Decorations
White Felt

Once I had everything I needed I started with the basics. I rolled all of my diapers into little jelly rolls (similar to when you roll cookie dough). I rubber banded them together with one rubber band on each in the center of the roll.

After that was done, I started standing them up and rubber banded them together in the center with a larger rubber band. I did this a little differently than the tutorials. They say (say for the top layer) to stand all eight up and then put the rubber band around them. I started with the rubber band around 2 or 3 and then pulled the band out to place the other diapers around the center.

I did this for all rows making the previous layer and then placing the next layer around that. (It is better to see it being done. A good tutorial is here)

I placed ribbon around it just like in the tutorial. I decided that I didn't like the color on the diapers showing (my diapers had a blue picture on the front) so I cut felt for the top (I cheated and it doesn't go all the way around. If yours does do not forget to cut a hole for your dowel rod to poke through). My felt also acted as a base for my decoration. I glued some silk flowers to the felt (you don't want to glue anything to the diapers) and added a bear.

I sewed the bear's arm to the second layer felt, and his leg to the third layer felt so he would stay on.
The bow on top is just something I stumbled upon while searching for ways to tie bows.

Right now it does not have the dowel rods in it to help it stay together and not fall over during the baby shower, because I am going to transport it in pieces.

I hope this helps anyone who is making one of these for someone you know. I cannot wait to show it at the baby shower.