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Rocking Moses Basket Stand

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DIY rocking moses basket stand #anawhite

Well, I feel I failed you terribly in sharing our baby joy with you.  So many of you are dear friends, we really wanted to share more photos and details about the new baby, from the start.  And it's not really a privacy thing for me, I'm definitely one of those moms who is so proud of her kids, she wants the whole entire world to see them.

For me, it came down to this: I didn't want to turn my kids into work.  I didn't want to be in these special moments - hearing the baby's heartbeat for the first time, finding out the gender, experiencing first kicks, and ultimately, holding our baby for the first time - and also be holding a camera, thinking how can I turn this very special moment into content for my blog.  

Forgive us, please.

Our baby is nearly a month old, and I finally feel like life is at a new normal - as any parent knows, there is no such thing as getting back to "normal" - you just find a new normal.  He's been a wonderful, sweet, agreeable baby, and we are still head over heels in love.  Especially big sister Grace.

We are truly blessed.

One of the last projects I worked on before baby Hayes was born was a Moses Basket stand.  We don't have space for a crib, but knew the little one would need a safe place to nap during the day.

We ordered the Moses Basket for Moses Basket for $35 and I built the rocking stand for about $10 to match. 

Since it rocks, when the baby fusses a little, he will cause the bassinet to rock, and sometimes - I stress sometimes - put himself back to sleep.

Before the baby was born, the hubs surprised me and said that he thought this was one of the nicest things I'd ever made.

That was before the baby.  

This is not an easy project - cutting those rockers with a jigsaw and sanding until they match perfectly was quite a chore.  But when I am building something for my loved ones, I found I didn't mind putting in the extra effort to create something super nice.

Being pregnant at the time, I choose not to do any finishing, so my friend Jen came over and applied this stain.  We used RustOleum Dark Walnut.

Foam brushes worked wonders - especially the tiny one for getting the 1x edges stained.

The RustOleum stains are one step - just apply, wait until it soaks in, and wipe off excess.

Jen really enjoyed using the stain, and I'll have to admit, I was a tiny bit envious!

And she did an amazing job too!  

The plans for this Moses Basket follow - so check them out below.

Thanks for reading and using this site.

XO Ana + Fam

Dimensions

Preparation

Shopping List

1 - 1x4 @ 8 feet long
1 - 1x2 @ 6 feet long
1 - 1x3 @ 10 feet long
1-1/4" pocket hole screws
Fresh wood cutting jigsaw blade
lots of sandpaper, grits from coarse to fine
wood glue

Cut List

2 - 1x4 @ 31" (rockers)
2 - 1x2 @ 16" (side top supports)
4 - 1x3 @ 21" (legs)
2 - 1x3 @ width of Moses Basket
2 - 1x2 @ width of Moses Basket
1 - 1x6 or 1x8 @ 16" (support) - you could also use 2 - 1x4s here to conserve wood

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Kreg Jig
Drill
Jigsaw
Miter Saw
Power Sander
General Instructions

Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold. Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good luck!

Instructions

Step 1

So this is the hardest step. Getting these rockers cut. Take your 1x4s and draw out the pattern. I used a piece of 1/8" plywood (because it has some flex) to draw out the curve of the bottom rocker. You can simplify by keeping the top of the rocker square - only the bottom needs to be cut.

You'll need to cut two, and then clamp the two together and sand until the bottoms match perfectly.

Step 2

Once you have the rockers cut, attach two legs to the 1x2 @ 16" to get your spacing right. I used a Kreg Jig set on the 3/4" setting and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws. Then I scribed the bottom arched cut on the bottom of the legs, cut out with a jigsaw, and then attached.

Step 3

We measured the bottom of the Moses basket width, and adusted the width of these boards so it holds the Moses basket in firmly.

NOTE: You must secure your Moses basket to the stand somehow. We screwed ours to the base. You could also attach with ties.

Step 4

For the bottom, now that I look at ours again, I used a 1x6 down the center to support the weight of the baby. You could also use 2 - 1x4s (save yourself a trip to the lumber aisle). I attached on underside again with pocket holes.

Step 5

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth.

It is always recommended to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed.
Project Type
Toys
Other Projects
Room
Kids and Toys
Nursery and Baby
Style
Children's and Kid's Room Furniture and Toy Plans

Comments

DecorSanity

Wed, 02/05/2014 - 12:18

...and so is the rocker, truly. I would have loved to have made one of these for one of my 4 babies, but baby-having is done for me. I will now have to find someone to make this for, because I LOVE it. Its the perfect size to just put anywhere! You don't have to apologize for not putting out more pics of the baby...one of my favorite things about having a baby is that your priorities get re-shifted. Time kinda stands still for those moments, and that's how it should be! Super glad to hear he's a good baby for you; you deserve a good-tempered one!

JoanneS

Wed, 02/05/2014 - 15:03

This is absolutely darling! What a great project for little Hayes. You have not failed at all! You totally have your priorities in the right order. Grace and Hayes will only be young once, and they grow up so fast! Enjoy all the precious moments you can. Hugs to you and your family! Thank you for sharing with us! :)

katherinecm

Wed, 02/05/2014 - 15:55

The baby is beautiful, and I agree with Ram, this is the nicest thing I've seen here yet. But I don't understand how the basket doesn't just slide off the end when it rocks? Is it fastened or attached in some way? Or is it a different style of moses basket than I've seen before?

Ana White

Wed, 02/05/2014 - 20:44

Why, thank you!!! What we did on our stand was make it narrow enough where it doesn't slide or come loose, the basket is pinched in there if that makes sense. 

I had originally intended to add 1/4" plywood strips bent like this:

But we found we didn't need to.  Another way to secure could be to tie with ribbons to the stand - for sure, make sure your basket is secured to the stand.

Hope this helps!

Ana

spiceylg

Wed, 02/05/2014 - 16:50

That picture of Grace and Hayes is perfection. That's blow up big and hang on the wall material! So. precious. Great build and again congratulations on the new addition. And definitely no need to apologize....you have your priorities right!

kategirl

Thu, 02/06/2014 - 10:05

Such a wonderful project, such a beautiful little boy.... you are not helping with my plans to wait another year before we try for a second baby, haha!

Don't worry about us, enjoy your new little one!

birdsandsoap

Fri, 02/07/2014 - 00:27

He's beautiful! I think that little boy looks JUST like his Daddy! I'm glad he is a good baby for you, it's one of those things that just makes life sweeter.- babies are much easier to hold when they are not screaming bloody murder, haha! I LOVE the moses basket. It looks like an actual piece of furniture and is much more soothing to gaze upon vs. our metal and plastic swing. The biggest improvement I made to ours was wiring a plug to it so we weren't burning through batteries so fast. Wishing I had figured that out with the first baby instead of the third!

meg_odom

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 15:13

This is SO timely - I was wondering how I could make my own rockers to convert a chair for the nursery into a rocking chair & saw this post. I absolutely LOVE the basket & rocker idea! Thank you so much for sharing & enjoy your family time - what a blessing!

bridsmith

Wed, 07/28/2021 - 05:50

I had a question about the rockers…Is there a way to print off an exact template, or has everyone free-handed theirs? I noticed someone in the comments had added a link to a template, but that link doesn’t appear to be working. If no template, do you have any tips on free-handing the rocker shape? Thanks so much.