About Baby Quilts

Among the many items that people buy or stitch for their newborn babies or tiny tots are baby quilts. In fact, a baby quilt can also be chosen or stitched to fit the overall decorative ambience of a baby's room to greatly add to its appeal. It is not uncommon for people to hand-stitch baby quilts, using different bits of leftover colored fabric lying around the home. One good example is the "patchwork" baby quilt.

Identification

Baby quilts are a form of blanket or bedspread, appropriately sized and designed to keep a baby warm. They are basically made of two layers of fabric with different padding materials filled between the two--such as wool, cotton, soft feathers or other materials that are suitable and safe for babies. Baby quilts are available in a wide variety of themes, fabrics, colors, shapes, sizes and padding materials.

History

Although baby quilts have been used for hundreds of years in one form or another, the earliest known baby quilt in the U.S., forerunner of the ones we see today, was made in 1880. This baby quilt was gifted to Fanny Wike, a childless woman living in Pennsylvania at the time. A widely recognized quilt block pattern that appeared in 1910 on baby quilts was "Sunbonnet Sue," which featured a large, bonneted playful girl. Until then, baby quilts were more adult oriented in terms of designs, patterns, fabrics and colors. But in 1912, famous quilter Marie Webster revolutionized baby quilt design. The baby quilts she created included patterns far more appropriate for children and babies.

Size

Baby quilts are available, or can be hand-stitched in different sizes, to fit the specific sizes of cribs, babies and toddlers. The larger-sized baby quilts can still be made use of when babies reach the toddler stage. The most common and popular sizes for baby quilts are 32 by 40, 36 by 36, 36 by 45, 36 by 48, 36 by 60, 40 by 52, 45 by 60 and 60 by 60. While these measurements are based on commercially available baby quilts, they will also be useful as a guide for anyone wishing to create baby quilts by hand.

Benefits

Baby quilts are primarily designed to keep babies warm, comfortable and give them a feeling of safety and security. Apart from these benefits, baby quilts can also be chosen by theme, color or shape to match the décor of a baby's room and crib. A baby quilt also makes an ideal and useful gift for a 'baby shower' party, a newborn baby, christening or toddler's birthday. Because they're thick, baby quilts can also be placed on the floor when a baby starts to crawl.

Warning

Baby quilts that include large bows, buttons or any rough-edged motifs can be uncomfortable and even hazardous to babies. However, fabrics that are soft and silky, as well as soft padding materials, are ideal for a baby's comfort and safety. Therefore, do not buy or stitch baby quilts that have coarse fabrics, or hard, uncomfortable padding materials. Make sure to take proper measurements of the crib or toddler's bed before you decide to buy or hand-stitch baby quilts. This is particularly important when cutting fabric, if you choose the latter.