Some of the most irresistible quilts ever are those designed for the littlest sleepers. Baby quilts are often one of the first items considered when the announcement is made that a new baby is on the way.
Thoughts of a new baby bring thoughts of a new nursery, too, and one of the quickest and most effective ways to designate an area as the one to be occupied by the soon-to-be new member of the family is by lavishing it with baby quilts. And once the word is out that there’s a baby on the way, the quilts are sure to appear.
Baby quilts are much smaller than the big, heavy quilts used by the larger members of the family. That dainty, delicate baby needs a quilt just the right size and weight to keep him or her sheltered but not overburdened.
Baby quilts aren’t just smaller versions of the quilts made for older kids and adults, either. They are often adorned with the most charming and whimsical designs imaginable. Just one look and the quilt intended for the baby’s use is instantly obvious.
Tradition in the United States says that blue baby quilts are for boys and pink quilts are for girls. This tendency to match color with gender is easy once the baby is born and in modern times, now that medical technologies can identify the gender of a baby long before it’s born.
In times when gender is unknown, however, soft yellows and greens are considered ideal colors for baby quilts, too. And, in spite of today’s modern medical marvels, some modern parents don’t want to know the gender of their new arrival until he or she actually arrives. Parents like these probably aren’t going to be sticklers about the “blue for boys, pink for girls” rule anyway.
Regardless of color or design, some of the very most treasured baby quilts are those passed down through a family from one generation to the next. Parents blessed with these family heirloom quilts will probably cherish the chance to use them but are not likely to put them to serious use. After all, that newborn is likely to grow up and have children of his or her own and will delight in passing the family heirloom baby quilt along to their own next generation.
