Are you planning to get a cute Moses’ basket for your newborn? Well, the good news is that you can even make one at home! These instructions on how to make a Moses’ basket, will enable you to add your creative touch to this cozy gift for your little angel.
A Moses’ basket is a snug basket complete with blanket and pillow, which is used to keep your newborn safe and always by your side. There is a short little story in Exodus, the second book of the Hebrew Bible, that explains the origin of the Moses’ basket and why it is called so.
According to this story, the birth of Moses was during a time when the people of Israel were growing in power and strength. Their huge population became a cause of fear for the Egyptian Pharaoh, who strongly felt that the Israelites had the potential to help the enemies of Egypt. This fear led the Pharaoh to issue an order that every newborn boy in Israel be killed.
When Moses was born, his mother tried to hide him from the Egyptian soldiers as she did not want her little boy to be taken away and killed. But since it was not possible to keep him at home, she thought of a simple plan. She made a basket of reed, placed baby Moses in it and hid the basket behind some bushes by the river. The princess of the Egyptian royal family found the baby, adopted him as her own son and named him Moses.
The Moses’ basket has come a long way since then, and today it is highly coveted by mothers who wish to keep their newborn safe and sound and take their little ones with them, wherever they go. The biggest advantage of using a Moses’ basket is that it is portable.
This makes it possible for the mother to be with her baby at all times, thus helping a strong bond to develop between the mother and her child. Moreover, placing your baby inside a Moses’ basket makes him feel relaxed and at ease, and helps him to gradually get accustomed to the environment around him. Moses’ baskets come with handles to help you carry them easily and are one of the best gifts for baby showers.
However, these baskets are expensive, and considering the fact that they would not be of much use after your baby is three months old, they may not prove to be worth all the money spent. Hence, the best way out is to make one for your baby yourself. Keep reading for some easy-to-follow instructions on how to make a Moses’ basket at home.
How to Make a Moses Basket
For making a Moses’ basket at home, you need to have the following materials.
Materials Required
- A basket with handles (30″ long, 20″ wide and 9″ deep)
- Hard cardboard sheet
- Foam or sponge
- Soft fabric such as cotton or flannel
- Towel cloth
- Sewing machine
- Fancy ribbon
- Scissors
- Cardboard cutter
- Velcro tape
- Satin cloth
- Glue
Now, follow these simple steps on how to make your Moses’ basket.
Step 1: Covering the inner Surface
You should have a woven basket with you which you need to convert into a cozy basket for your baby to sleep in. The first step in this process of transformation is to deal with the inside of the basket, as this is where you’ll place your baby. Begin with covering the inner surface with a soft towel cloth. This is to ensure that your baby’s head doesn’t bump against the walls of the basket once he is in it. Use the scissors to cut the fabric according to the dimensions of the basket and use Velcro tape to secure it to the rim of the basket.
Step 2: Making the Mattress
Once you are done with covering the inner surface with a towel cloth, start with making the mattress. Draw the dimensions of the base of the basket on the cardboard sheet and cut it using the cardboard cutter. Now, place the cardboard piece inside the basket and see if it covers the entire base of the basket. If it does, fold the cotton fabric and trace the outline of the cardboard piece on it. Also, draw the same outline on the sheet of foam.
Now, cut the fabric as per the outline, (leaving an extra inch all around for stitching) and you’ll get two pieces of fabric. Stitch them together, placing the foam between the two layers of fabric, and your mattress is ready. Now, make a mattress cover by cutting the cotton fabric and sewing its three ends and put the mattress inside it.
Step 3: Decorating the Basket
Once you are done with making the mattress, place it inside the basket and your basket is almost ready. What’s left to be done is decorating the basket to make it appear prettier. For this, you need to use the satin cloth and ribbons. When it comes to decoration, you know there aren’t any set of rules as such. Just use your imagination and decorate it the way you like.
For starters, you can make small ribbon bows and paste them around the edge of the basket using the glue. You can also wind the ribbon around the handles to add to the aesthetic appeal of the basket. Another cool idea is to make frills using the satin fabric and stick them around the rim of the basket using Velcro tape. You can even paint the basket in a different color altogether!
Thus, you can see that making a Moses’ basket is pretty simple and what’s more, it gives you a great opportunity to flaunt your creative skills! So, what are you waiting for? Just grab the things you need and start making one. When you see your cherubic baby sleep in it, all you will feel is sheer bliss!
