I echo a lot of the sentiments above. People just have no idea how much work and money goes into a quilt. Because of that I pic and choose who gets quilts for presents.
I made a quilt for my college roommate for her wedding (my avatar pic). I knew she would appreciate it and I got her involved. She picked out the pattern and the colors then I made her go on the Kansas City Metro Area quilt shop hop to find the fabric. She is arts and crafty so she didn't hate quilt shopping all day. She was flabbergasted at the prices!
My standard baby gift is a rag time flannel. They take a little less work and can be cheaper. Most of the time I get a huge response at the shower. How much use they get in the real world not sure.