Why Baby Quilts Are Called Baby Blankets?

Nowadays, it’s rare to hear young mothers saying the phrase “baby quilt.” Yet, baby quilts are as popular as ever. Handmade baby quilts are given as classy gifts for Christenings and birthdays, baby showers and Christmas; and there doesn’t seem to be a single baby who doesn’t have a baby quilt. Yet, new moms are now calling baby quilts “baby blankets” or “blankies” instead. The word “blankie” is usually just used by moms when talking to their babies, but “baby blankets” have become the new way to call baby quilts.

To a point, it’s understandable. New moms are young and trendy and definitely don’t want to use phrases that sound so old-fashioned. More so, some associate the phrase with old, worn out scraps of fabric, and for others it goes even a step further and implies poverty and dire needs. The ‘blanket’ trend continues to spread and soon most new moms will be saying “My child’s baby blanket is adorable!” instead of “My child’s baby quilt is adorable!” This doesn’t mean that baby quilts are getting out of fashion. In fact, they are as trendy as ever.

Lately, the ‘old’ fashioned quilt (as well as the activity of quilting) has become a cultural icon and for certain circles a counterculture activity that is enjoyed by the super-trendy. New mothers who have grown weary of the plastic and pre-packaged goods being sold for babies are beginning to get together to create new baby clothes and items, including baby quilts. Seeing a traditional or a contemporary handmade baby quilt is a welcome relief when compared to the mass produced, low quality goods that are so often on the market. For moms who are looking to keep their child posh, a handmade baby quilt is the new wave of high fashion for children. The introduction of new fabrics, colors, and designs revived the quilt’s popularity and brought it back in the nursery. Yet, the phrase “baby quilt” still sounds too grandmotherly for some moms and the more youthful “baby blanket” is used instead.

More and more new mothers are picking up the art of sewing and quilting as a creative way to express their emotions, feelings and artistry - quilting bees are becoming more popular these days.  Quilting, an activity which allows a new mother to create a handmade product to bestow upon her child for life, proves to be very rewarding. Moreover, new mothers are also learning how much fun creating with your heart and hands can be! Regardless of what they are called, handmade baby quilts made with love and care are the ultimate baby gift – unique, true, and time tested.

3 Reasons Not To Rush Into Your Next Quilting Project

There is nothing quite as beautiful as a quilt. Perfect for gifts, they brighten up homes, create unique designs and even keep a person warm on the coldest of nights. It is easy to understand why you'd want to rush through making one yourself. 

It doesn't matter if the quilt you desire to make is puffed up or made with roses all over it, there are numerous reasons why you don't want to rush the quilt project. Let's discuss the three most common reasons why speed could work against you. 

1. Mistakes can happen
   It's true, mistakes can happen, especially so if you rush. It could be that you made the wrong measurements, or set the stitch wrong, but your rushing will actually have the opposite effect and lose you valuable time fixing those mistakes. This will lead to entirely messing up your project and actually slowing you down. Experienced or amateur, it doesn't matter as mistakes do not discriminate. If speed can be the biggest reason for car crashes, when lives are at stake, it surely can be the biggest reason for messing up a quilt.
   
   
2. Poor quality
   The second result of speeding through your quilting project is ending up with a badly constructed and poorly looking quilt. When in a rush, you are tempted to take all sorts of short cuts which lead to a number of inaccuracies. The measurements are off; the cutting is sloppy, and number of other ‘small’ details gets neglected.  These would result in joins that just don't match up, or gaps in the edges, or even unsightly scrunching up of the quilting material. Any one of these problems is better fixed by just undoing everything and starting the whole process over again.
   
   The old carpenter's rule applies to quilting as well. "Measure twice, cut once" simply means to take your time to do it right the first time, so that you don't have to do it again and take twice as long to finish a project.
   
   
3. Problems with the pattern
   Any kind of problems can occur with a pattern. You might be making a traditional design quilt for a friend with a very contemporary taste. Or, you are putting one together to display in a room in your house and it clashes with the already existing design style. It could be something as simple as two colors that, when joined, just don't work the way you originally thought they would. Taking the time to plan out your entire quilt in advance is a critical step in quilting. It might be a patchwork but you still have to be able to see the big picture from start to finish. 

No matter the reason, rushing through a quilting project will not allow you the time to step back, observe and evaluate every step of the creative process and will always result in a poor job. Slow down and do things right the first time. Relax and enjoy every step of the quilting process and at the end you’ll be richly rewarded with a newly created beauty.

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I didn't become Fairy overnight and I have all the Fairy powers to help you with your baby crib bedding and nursery decor. For handmade baby quilts, baby girl and baby boy bedding visit my baby bedding boutique TheQuiltFairy.com

Tips on Caring for Antique and Vintage Quilts

We all want to keep and preserve the quilts belonging to our heritage so that our posterity can appreciate and enjoy them too. What we will discuss here are some tips on how to provide antique and vintage quilts with the loving care they deserve that will allow them to be preserved for many years to come.
• If your quilts are on display rather than in a storage chest, then make sure that they are hung on walls that do not get direct sunlight during the day. This also includes keeping them from indoor lighting that is very bright. You might want to include pets and kids in this "do not" list, as in keep your displayed quilts away from them. If you have a very large quilt then consider showing it off using either a standing or a wall rack. With these racks you can move the quilt around and display it and fold it in various ways to keep it in a pristine condition. If you'd like, hand sew a muslin sleeve on the back which will allow for a proper and careful hanging on the wall.
• You want to be gentle when you clean your quilt. Vacuum it but only through a protective screen that is flexible and preferably made of plastic. You don't even want to consider throwing your vintage quilt in a washing machine unless you are ready to lose it. If you absolutely have to wash an old quilt then use the bathtub and do it by hand - fold flat, soak, and gently hand agitate. Then, lay it on a flat surface to air dry.
• Even storing your antique quilt must be done with caution and care. Quilts have to breathe and storing them in plastic bags will 'suffocate' them! Use only acid free box and acid free paper in the folds of the quilt. You don't want to stack your quilts on top of each other in the same storage container. Best way to preserve a quilt is to roll it around a foil wrapped cardboard tube & cover with cotton sheet - the way it's done in museums! Another method is using a cotton sheet that has been thoroughly washed. Lay the quilt over this cloth and folding the two together as if they were one unit. After that, wrap the ensemble in another well-washed cotton cloth. Air unused quilts 6 times a year; afterwords, change the folding pattern. Stay completely away from plastic bags or airtight storage units; instead, place the quilt in dry areas where no extreme heat or cold can invade. Best conditions to preserve quilts are temperature around 70F and 50% relative humidity.
• To document your quilt you can get a copy of the forms used by the museums or create one of your own. Put down any and all information about the quilt's history that you know of; just don't store the paper next to the quilt. For the basic information some museums use a small fabric label hand sewn on the back of the quilt.
• For appraising the value of your quilt, get an appraisal only from a qualified, trained source. On Internet you can obtain a list of certified quilt appraisers by state. Also, you can contact the local quilting society or group, as well as quilt museums which will be more than happy to provide you with information and resources.

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I didn't become Fairy overnight and I have all the Fairy powers to help you with your baby crib bedding and nursery decor. For handmade baby quilts, baby girl and baby boy bedding visit my baby bedding boutique TheQuiltFairy.com

QUILTING AS A CREATIVE AND INSPIRATIONAL CRAFT

In days gone by, quilting was a typical form of activity for the social elite. Even earlier, quilting fabric was something that the wives of farmers did as a way to come together to share news and gossip that was a part of their lives. These times were an opportunity for them to walk away from the stresses and strains of the farming lifestyle and relax, sharing something lighthearted with each other. This was during a time when quilts were a vital part of peoples' lives. And, they were used for everything from curtains to bed linen, as well as clothing such as waistcoats and petticoats, where cold climates required warm clothes. As a case in point, the patchwork quilt was developed during a time of fabric shortage, where articles of fabric that were on their last days would be sewn into these makeshift quilting patterns. 

Nowadays, quilting has gone out of favor in the activities of the social elite, and even the lower social echelons have lost touch with the social necessity of quilting; it is rather taken on out of enjoyment and as an expressive art form. Patchwork isn't an economic necessity either but in fact has evolved into another art form. There are still quilts made from scraps of fabric but mainly for achieving that antique patchwork look rather than to recycle worn out fabric. Another reason for patchworking quilts is to honor a special event. What mainly drives the quilting nowadays is creativity and artistic expression rather than frugality. The best trait about quilting is its versatility and its ability to adapt to the changing times that it finds itself a part of. 

Quilters today turn to the craft of making quilts out of the sheer enjoyment it produces, as well as the rewarding experience when one is done with a project. Quilting gives people an outlet for their creative energy and brings a level of joy that enhances their life. There are several aspects to quilting that those who do it find appealing - from selecting or creating the pattern to work with, to the choosing of fabric, and finally the delight and sense of accomplishment when the project is done. They gain the opportunity to work with a mix of designs and color as well as with the different textures that the many fabrics offer. Besides the artistic satisfaction, quilting is also a great way to relieve stress, particularly among mothers with small children. Most quilters will tell you that no drug on the market can equal the sense people get when they are in the midst of a quilting project. 

Because quilts bring comfort and warmth they are ideal creations for bedding and clothes. Still others are displayed as actual work of art, showcasing the talents of their creators. These days quilting has found its way in various items – throw pillows, purses, eyeglass cases, diaper bags, bonnets, table runners, Christmas stockings, wall hangings and placemats. 

For those interested in quilting, the good news is that nowadays it poses much less technical challenges and there are no prerequisite skills needed to get going, just the ability to sew. All quilters do is stitch layers of cloth and other fabrics together following a pattern that lends itself to the creativity of the maker.  A quilt really is: a multilayered mixture of batting and fabrics that have been sewn together. The fundamental equipment involved in the craft of quilting ranges from a hoop or frame to quilt with, thread and needles, pins and a thimble, scissors and beeswax. One can add masking tape, a long ruler, and markers and drawing pens for pattern transferring. Even though sewing machines have long replaced the hand sewing from the past the quilters of today are still inspired by the designs and creativity of the quilts of old. Even more, the present day quilters don’t just duplicate colors and patterns but rather use them as starting point for infusing their own vision and creativity leading to unique quilts for the future generations to follow and get inspired from.

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I didn't become Fairy overnight and I have all the Fairy powers to help you with your baby crib bedding and nursery decor. For handmade baby quilts, baby girl and baby boy bedding visit my baby bedding boutique TheQuiltFairy.com