I have the good fortune of knowing two couples who are becoming parents very very soon: one couple is having Baby #3 and the other is having Baby #1. What does that mean for me? The hustle and bustle of getting baby gifts made and shipped.
Of course, my go-to gift is a baby quilt. My personal favorite is a Stacked Coins pattern, a la Handmade by Alissa. But I also love to pull together scraps. Or, in the case of the in-progress piece below, I like to use what’s given to me. I’ve simply arranged the 12 blocks from my quilt guild’s last Block Swap and made a sweet little blanket that works for both boys and girls.
Besides gifts for babies, I need gifts for siblings and parents, as well. And, I hit a wall. I needed inspiration and guidance. So, I turned to the experts:
Anna Maria Horner. Here’s a woman who knows about babies. She’s had six! And she’s got projects for a new baby, parents and siblings in her latest book: Handmade Beginnings.
Amy Butler. She’s a celebrity among sewing celebrities. And her fabric designs are versatile and timeless. Her patterns are easy to follow. Check out her book of pieces for kids: Little Stitches for Little Ones.
Lotta Jansdotter. Love her printing techniques. Why wouldn’t I love her projects for babies? Cuteness abounds in Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing for Baby: 24 Projects for Newborns to Toddlers.
I still have much stitching to do on my Wonky Log Cabin Baby Quilt. And, I have the troublesome problem of choosing just three or four more projects to complete quickly to send with baby gifts. Gotta get them out soon, though.