What quilter out there doesn’t enjoy making baby quilts? The cutest fabric is available; fabric that is designed just for babies. I have a weakness for baby bunnies, even though in real life, they eat my hostas that I keep planting each spring!
Baby quilts are small because babies and their beds are small. If you have a pattern or use a panel, a baby quilt can be whipped up in hours. Forgot about the baby shower? Give a quilter a night with all the fabric available, and voila you have a gift.
Baby quilts are a unique gift. No one else will give a gift to baby just like yours! They can be tailored to that special person. Mom and Dad met at university—a collegiate theme. Many Star Wars and Harry Potter quilts have been given. Mom is creating the perfect nursery–use her chosen colors. Often the quilts become keepsakes, especially if they were given by a special person in the family.
But quilts for babies have changed with the times.
#1 Parents usually know and share the gender of the baby. Decades ago, quilters hedged their bets and included both pink and blue in the quilt.
This hand quilted and hand appliquéd vintage quilt used the solid blue and pinks of the 30’s and 40’s. Some colors were considered neutral or non-gender specific. Yellow, green and lilac could be used with either gender. If the parents do care about traditional colors for the gender being used, you have plenty of time since most know long before the baby is born.
#2.Many parents have color schemes that would cause their great-grandmothers to shake their heads and roll their eyes! Navy and grey are popular now as well as olive and grey, minty green and coral, black and white with pops of primary colors, neutrals and muted rainbow colors. “Soothing” colors are popular–hmmm, for baby or mom?
#3. The preferred backing is something soft. So many polyester fibers have become popular–polar fleece and Minky backing add a cozy, soothing touch. When I was commenting about this trend to my daughter in law, she pointed out to me that technology is responsible–we didn’t have these fabrics twenty years ago. Flannel backing is soft but doesn’t hold up as well.
Quilters at First love to make baby quilts for the sale in October and to have on-line now. We have “custom” made a few–the buyers wanted a specific color. If you go to the Photo Gallery on this blog, there is a “baby quilt” section. We have had some recent additions.
Black and white zoo animals are featured with some other B&W prints and the solid blue/aqua. The back is fleece and the batting is cotton. It measures 43″ x 53″ and is $60.
Although it appears to be pieced, it is a whole cloth with gingham butterflies and pastel flowers. The back is a coordinating fabric and it is bound in a sparkly stripe. Machine quilted with cotton blend batting. The quilt measures 42″ x 54″ and is $50. This quilt would last through toddler and pre-school ages.
Half-square triangles in peach, teals, and sweet floral and forrest baby prints are used to create this smaller baby quilt. The backing is a pink fleece adding to the coziness. It is 34″ x 42″ and for sale for $50.
Do you like cats? The border features “psychedelic” cats (psychedelic according to Siri denotes an intense, vivid color or a swirling abstract pattern). The blocks are framed with blue sashing. The backing is a soft blue Minky. Mindy is very lightweight but very warm. This quilt is 49″ x 54″ and is $60.
Contact quiltersatfirst.com if you are interested in any of the quilts seen on the Photo Gallery post. Of if you are interested in a particular color or theme, let’s discuss the possibilities.
Enjoy those babies you wrap up in a quilt! So very quickly you are making a California Long twin quilt for them to take to college!
REMINDER-We pay sales tax on everything we sell! The sales tax in Sedgwick Country in KS is 7.5%. If a purchase is $50, we are left with only $46.25 to donate to First United Methodist TV Ministry and the Religious Nurture Center for Disabled Adults. Our unique projects are even more of a bargain than you first thought!
Quilts, Etc. 