Where Do I Come Up With Ideas for My Baby Quilts?

It may be in the middle of the night or on the way to the grocery store, I can get ideas for my baby quilts sometimes in the most unusual places.

I live in South Florida with a lake in my back yard.  It is not uncommon to have the most unusual wild life in and around the water.  A beautiful heron flew into the pine tree last week and though he may have flown for miles, chose to stand, as the species always does, on one leg.   He or she posed long enough for me to take this photo. 

Next, there was the mother duck and her 6 ducklings, but they were too shy for the camera and the photo just didn’t happen.   The photo of that lovely scene, as they floated across the lake just didn’t happen, but they sure inspired me to pull out my stash when I came back into the house.  Out came the blues, greens and yellows.  I found 3 different prints of that had ducks that would shape nicely into some new baby quilts.  Next, I pulled out patterns and matched the ideas and fabric together for at least two or three new baby quilt ideas.

Now, there is a great photo of a new neighbor that moved in last week…

I decided to check out my stash then run to my favorite fabric store.  I will be sewing on my newest design for baby quilts and “Gator” lovers in Florida just wait for this one. (Sorry if you go to the other university).   Hey!  I told you ideas just come to me.  I just have to be careful how close they get and not to feed them!

Now, if I want to stay on the tamer side of making baby quilts and go with a more traditional and do a patchwork style, then there is always a Fence Rail, Around the World, or Jig Saw Puzzle baby quilts.  These simple patterns are based on the square or rectangle and are easily made and spruced up with color and texture.

When I design my baby quilts, I most often look first for fabrics.  The soft baby flannels, minx, quilters cottons each bring a uniquely soft texture to these baby quilts, which allow for the cozy, cuddly feeling.  The novelty and solid collection of colors and designs, adds to the gorgeous prints and plaids that make up the 100% cotton quilt flannel materials and cottons.  These arrays of colors, designs for boys or girls are as endless as your imagination.

 From the  traditional trains, planes, ABC’s, and ducks for boys to the dolls, flowers, and kittens for girls, the patterns and designs you use, the materials, colors, and textures can  now create many uniquely one-of-a-kind baby quilts.