Quilting Designs On An Infant Girl Quilt

Creating any type of quilt requires planning and arranging items in the perfect order. While baby quilts can range in complexity of appearance they often require as much work as a full sized quill. There are five key steps in planning and making the perfect quilt.

String quilts made by women in Gee's Bend, Alabama, and Mid-western Amish communities, have become an art form. Their stringed blocks are often square in shape or close to it, with one above the other. Sometimes sashing strips divide the blocks. The Amish string quilts can look like stacks of small squares. This pattern is named Coins.

Make pillows. Single blocks are the perfect sice to create toss pillows for your sofa, loveseat or chairs. Make pillow shams for your bed by stitching several together to fit your pillows.

Blanket Quilt There are conflicting opinions about the need to prewash fabric. The choice is yours, but if you have any doubts about colorfastness (whether or not the color will bleed or wash out), test the fabric before adding it to your quilt.

With right sides facing each other, place another rectangle, this time a solid one, over the first rectangle and edges even with side 2 of the center piece. Always cover the previous piece (in this case the first rectangle). Sew from the edge of the previous rectangle to the edge of side 2.

Another way to preserve memories is to make a memory quilt. A memory quilt can be a blanket or a wall hanging. You collect items of clothing as your child outgrows them. You cut the clothes into squares of the same size and save your collection until you have enough to make a blanket or wall-hanging. You can also use pieces of blankets or sheets. Be sure you cut a sample that is not worn thin. On blankets and sheets the outside edges are usually in the best shape. For clothing you would avoid the area covering the knees or the seat of the pants.

Traditionally quilting was a chore completed by women and they soon made the act a social event. They would gather in small or large groups and exchange materials to produce the most attractive quilts that they could. It was evident very quickly that this was a new form of art and its canvas was one of care and joy, as well as friendship.

We have a wonderful family tradition of everyone making at least one homemade gift for Christmas to give another family member. My children have all made at least one blanket to give a family member. The fabrics are fun to choose and put together as we think of the personality of the family members. We have a daughter very much into music so there are always musical motif fabrics in her quilts, a son who loves insects so a quilt with ants or other insects are often made for him. There is the wonderful John Deere fabrics to make beautiful quilts. If you have a hobby or interest there is sure to be a fabric just right to personalize your blanket.