As you begin making baby blankets and baby quilts, basic blanket and Quilt Guidelines can mean the difference between a valued heirloom and a rag destined for the dog’s bed. Following a few basic directions should help you enjoy the quilt construction, and be happy with your creation.
The most critical determination to consider as you get ready to sew a blanket will be the cloth type and quality of the fabric. The cloth should be soft, warm, and long-lived, while also being hypo-allergenic, safe for babies, and clean. Purchase of quality fabrics will result in a quality quilt or blanket. Besides basic quilter’s cottons, you can purchase heavy weight flannel, fleece and micro-fleece, warm waffle knits, heavy weight tee shirt fabrics as well as other soft, natural materials. You should not use materials which may cause allergies (no down, feathers, wool, etc.). Don’t purchase the poorly constructed, on-sale fabrics for making your blankets. This fabric would not be durable and won’t last long as a blanket.
It requires a small amount of the fabric of your choice for a baby blanket and since better quality cotton flannel runs from $1.89 to $6.99 a yard, therefore even choosing the “good stuff” is not expensive. A good rule to think of would be – if you would like this fabric to make a blanket for your own child, then it is the right material for your project.
If you think of this quilt as the only quilt this baby may own then you will consider how appreciated your efforts are. If it is the only quilt the child will have as he grows, you will want it warm, soft, and nice. If you prefer to create a quilt, you should be sure it is firmly constructed and most importantly, that it has no buttons, appliques or other decorating features which could be a risk to babies if they are pulled off the quilt, or chewed. Appliqués are welcome, if they are attached to the quilt securely. Don’t rely upon fabric glues to secure your appliqué – glues are a great start, but please finish the decorative applique by securely sewing it to the quilt. Basic, colorful, soft and warm is what you’ll be aiming for!
If you desire a project which is easy, and soft, think about printed polyester fleece panels. They can be purchased in many colorful print patterns, are easy to finish by serging or by zig zagging the raw edges. One pretty fleece panel makes a beautiful blanket for a child, or can easily be tucked into the seat of a carseat or around the sleeping form of a child. Solid colored fleece (without a printed pattern) is regularly purchased on sale and results in a wondrous blanket too, either for an older child, or cut into smaller blankets for babies. Multiple layers of fleece can be quilted together to create a specially light, soft and warm blanket for a baby or older child.
For quick and easy quilts, you could purchase quilt tops with baby themes and they will generally be approximately crib sized when finished. You can also make your own quilt tops from patchwork squares, fabric strips, or any other design you wish, to use up your scrap fabrics. Just make sure the material you want to use is pre-washed, durable, and soft. We strongly suggest you purchase commercial quilt batting for the stuffing in your quilt, but if the material is spotless and in excellent condition, you can also use mattress pads, large towels, or other blankets as a lining inside your quilt. For heat, you can even buy a standard bed-sized blanket and cut it into baby or toddler sized blankets to add as your quilt lining layer. Remember, make sure the material you use is not allergy causing – do not select an old woolen blanket, for instance, as stuffing inside the quilt.
Remember that, the most important guide lines to keep in mind for your blankets and quilts are safety, hypo-allergenic nature, cleanliness, and that the fabric be good quality, soft and warm. If you’d choose it for your own baby, then it’s the perfect fabric for your blanket or quilt.
