I would go with what mom asked of you. Isn't this why you asked?

I like the log cabin idea best too. Should make everyone happy!!

Are you kidding Black and Gray. Here is somethng that I always make for babies. Burp Clothes (12) of them .Never know when they will spit up. Then give a gift card.

If you asked me what I wanted and went ahead and made something that you wanted instead, I would be in a snit. I would be gracious, but I would be disappointed that you didn't bother to listen to me. You asked, you should honor their answer. My 18 year old grandson loves hot pink. I'm making him a "Think Outside the Block" lap quilt using hot pink as the center and graduating shades of blue for the rest of the block. Make a log cabin (or something on that order) and have the center block hot pink or whatever pink that they are using (I would even ask what color the walls were and try to match it). White on one side and different greys/blacks on the other. There are many fun kids fabrics that are black and white. I've attached a picture of the back of a quilt that my SIL did. Rail Fence w/jungle print in bright yellow, oranges and greens. The backing was a black & white jungle print. Same SIL did a a black & white quilt using skull fabrics for her teenage son. Put your creativity to work.
Dolly in MI
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I feel that since you asked, you definitely should honor the request. Any color combination can be beautiful if you put you mind to it and use a creative pattern. Better to do what was requested than to make something that will end up on a clt shelf.

Research has shown babies brains are more stimulated by bright primary colors than pastels, so I would expect that would also be the case that it would be more stimulating than for greys. Plus what if the little girl grows tired of pink, and they then paint the room a different color.
You asked the mother, but as the creator I think you would also have some say in your creation. And if you ask me the mother's reason is rather weak in making a blanket for one child to fit in with a visiting child. The baby will be using the blanket all the time and the baby won't care what coordinates with the wall paint.

I would vote for making something the baby would like long term.

When the request is for grey and black I assumed it meant only those colors. If a black background or some other colors is OK in it then that opens up a whole new world. I liked the grey camo idea and would probably use that on the back. I have 14 children and I know my adult children would like that for a son.

If the little girl is staying there occasionally, maybe the mother could ask what she would like for colors for the new baby and maybe that would be a better choice of colors. Don't worry about the black and gray so much. Babies tend to like the black prints. My daughter has a mobile all in black designs which was a big rage and some kind of psychological thing back in the late 90's. I know that all three of my grandchildren were totally mesmerized with that mobile. So go find some black and white print with some good designs on it. But I am really like most of the other people on this board. I never ask, I just present.

That is absolutely neat. It can be baby when needed and won't clash with the room the rest of the time. BTW, the mom is to be commended for being so thoughtful. BUT. . . Like Silver Needle, I don't ask. I usually make something I think the baby will like. . . fun pattern and some bright colors. Pastels are cute and babyish but most babies are drawn to bright colors. Whatever you choose, it is the love you have put into making it, that counts. Good luck. Post a pix when you done. Would love to see it.

I would definitely go with the black and gray, and feel free to add a little bit of primary colors in it, here and there.
I have a daughter that is really into black, and over the years I've collected various black, white, gray fabric, and copy pic of quilts on the internet hat use those colors, many times with a touch of some other color.

Adding a touch of the bright pink, with bright blue, green, yellow, to me, would be lovely

I hope this shows, to me, this could very well be a 'baby' quilt:
http://0.tqn.com/d/quilting/1/0/Q/U/...nnin_quilt.jpg

my two cents as a mommy and as a quilter, if you asked the mom for colors then go with her colors. there might be more important reasons why the mom wants the colors and is just giving you one of them. I have just made a crib set for a very close friend who is having a baby and while I like the fabric and colors she choose, I would not ever have picked them myself because they are not my taste. When I make up a crib set I always make a separate baby quilt in a smaller size to use to wrap up the baby in. I do this because most babies are not supposed to use anything in the crib till they are around a year old or even older. (I make the crib quilt so that it will fit a toddler bed (which most cribs nowadays are the size of) this way it will be used longer.) I vote for making one that you like and then the crib one for the mommy. I hope that this helps you.

ditto.... this is what i was thinking also and you can use the print you love......they can choose which side is up on a day to day basis

there is a fabric out that is white background with black 'silloettes (sp)' of children playing, jumping rope, pulling a wagon etc. that might work for the backing also.

Since the original request was, "... to do a black & grey quilt 'so as not to clash with the room'," it seems clashing was the mother's main concern. There are actually many bright colors, which wouldn't clash with pepto-pink.

Oh, I'm having fun, I googled "black white quilt" and oodles of pics come

I thought this one was interesting. I guess the black and white for a baby quilt is not a unique idea
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gcl1964/4813996732/

I think a black/gray/white log cabin quilt with colorful center squares, including pepto bismo pink. You asked and feel you should respect her wishes.

What a dilemma! I agree that since you asked the mom, it would be preferable to honor her wishes. Yes, black and grey are not traditional baby colors, but hey, who says there is a law that baby quilts must be traditional colors?

When I was pregnant with my first son, my mom wanted to knit me a blanket. She asked me to choose a color and I chose grey. She then proceeded to knit the blanket, complaining, moaning and whining the entire time because I did not choose a proper "baby color". When it was all said and done, the grey turned out beautiful, the blanket was lovely, the baby adored it (and as a 6 year old still does) and everyone was happy. Would that have been the case had she made it a different color? Most likely yes. But she asked me, and I gave her my request. I was thankful as a silly first-time mom fluttering about decorating her first nursery, that she honored my request.

It is always a challenge to work with colors you don't like. I think you can rise to the challenge and create something beautiful (there is appeal in the versatility of a two-sided quilt). If it were me, I'd rather do colors I don't like and have the blanket used than override mom's opinion, pick my own, and have it end up on a shelf. Regardless of color choice, let's hope the new momma has the grace to accept your gift with thanks and no sign of a snit! :)

Good luck!!

Show the mom the fabric you think would make a nice quilt and ask her opinion on it. She may pick it once she sees it.

Can you use gray and black to sash and border the prints you like?

Another thing, you might find some comic strip or coloring book type fabric that tends to black and gray.

Maybe you could find some black and white kid prints. I recently found some b/w disney prints that were really cute. I also think I would make one side to mom's specs and the other side to mine!

What about a double sided quilt. Do the construction worker design on one side and back it with a black and grey print, so if it is not bring "loved" and carried around it can go with the decor?

Well since you asked her what colours she would like I think should more or less go with her colors. It will be your own personnel challenge. The log cabin idea sounds good and you can do like some have suggested and make a colorful back.

Black and gray just doen't seem like a baby color scheme. I would go with your instincts and make an adorable baby quilt. I'm sure the parents will love it.

I usually ask if the parents have selected a nursury theme, and try to coordinate with it. I think once I ask, I take it as a challenge to match what they pick since that is what they like. I think You could slip in some bright colors to go with the black, grey and white and it would be cute for a baby. Still, you never know if they will like it no matter how much effort you make. My step-daughter chose blue and brown for her son, and painted the walls dark chocolate brown. I knocked myself out to paper piece vehicles (planes, trains, cars and boats) with brown, blue and cream and it matched wonderfully. I never saw the quilt again ...

Yes this is my vote. It is hard enough to get it done to have to work with limits sometimes I don,t get "it" done. I have been known to buy a box of Pampers instead of giving a quilt.

You asked the mother if she had a color preference - she gave you one - how do you then reject her choice?
This could be a slippery slope...
Black and gray could be used just fine with another color added. Think bears! Think black, white and bright.

Well said....
Sounds like a perfect solution to me.

I don't quilt for money...I am 64 and am at that time of my life when I can finally do what I want when I want. When making gifts for family I may or may not inquire about what color they want (If I don't ask I don't consider it). I make what I want when I want and if you like it you can have it, if you promise to use it and not put it away. I just don't seem to be able to get my soul into a quilt that does not talk to me. I prefer to make a quilt and then give it away..not quilt to order.

I recently made a baby quilt for the grandbaby of a very good friend. I don't know the mom very well so I asked what color they were using for the baby's room. The answer was brown and pink - no problem! But when I looked at her gift registry, all the patterns were very sophisticated looking...not my taste for babies at all but that's my taste - not hers - so I made a rail fence with browns, pinks and green accents. It looked good and I liked it when I got finished but still not my taste for a baby. The mom loves it as well as my friend. And I'm glad but I didn't enjoy making that one as much as the next one which was what caught my eye (and was still very much appreciated by the parents).

This is my long-winded way of saying - since you asked, go with what the mom requested even if it's not your taste. The finished quilt may surprise you. Many very good suggestions have been offered (and given me ideas for future use...LOL)

Personally, if you asked my opinion and then didn't honor them, my feelings would be hurt.

I had 3 grandbabies in 2010 and 2 of them were girls. The colors requested for one was black/white/grey/hot pink and the other was black/white/grey/red. I made them as requested. Not my favorite, but I don't have to live with them and I don't want to go to a lot of work and have it not be used.

Also, it's well known that brand new babies can't distinquish colors for awhile and black and white is all they see. A lot of little baby toys are black and white.

I really liked the idea of the cartoon characters in black. That could at least make it fun for a child. That is really a hard request!

Babies love black and white. I collect B&W fabrics specifically for baby quilts. You've had tons of suggestions, and some gorgeous quilts have been posted. Sounds like the mother really wants to display the quilt all the time, which beats it being "put away" somewhere and never used. To appeal to the baby, I suggest the B&W, no gray, and good lines of demarcation between the pieces. They love the bright colors also. I frequently do double-sided baby quilts, a panel on one side and the sampler blocks in B&W on the other. Just adding my 2 cents.

Go with a log cabin in mostly white, 1 gray, 1 black and white nursery print, and a different bright color in each of the centers. Should please Mom, by the way studies show that babies first recognize black and white as a pattern, and later the bright colors yellow being first.

I hear this so often - the recipient asks for certain colors and styles.....and I see the quilter struggle to try to find the "right" fabric and color combination. It seems to take all the pleasure out of making and giving someone a gift.....more like a "special order".

Do the log cabin quilt, putting the bright colors as the centers...it will be beautiful! Another option is a double sided quilt...do what you want on one side, and on the flip side, put large blocks made from black, gray and tiny bits of the bright colors...maybe 4 blocks, very large ones. That room will not always be pepto pink.

i say do both their are two sides to a quilt... smile ... and quite asking just make what you will have fun doing and i promise they will enjoy it.... smile

I think I would go with the Mother's wishes....you asked...she answered. Babies don't see colors anyway so the red square will be what he will be attracted to won't it. Like a lot of the answers you have received already, go with a reversible one then you both with be happy. You don't want her to put your hard work put in a closet do you?

Since you did ask the mother, I think you should follow her wishes.

I am curious how long you have known this couple? If she made the quilt and it wasn't received as you promise, what would you be willing to do? Make 2 quilts for a charity project? Just kidding. But promises should be made seriously.

This quilt I would (unfortunately) do the black and grey. But I might throw in one or two of the colorful construction blocks as you know babies love colors and different patterns, and there are research studies proving this. I would reconsider asking people about preferences as far as colors.....I do agree that asking if they prefer a blanket or bag is a great idea, but by taking out the color option this allows you, the creator, to express yourself and your colors to make the quilt as lovely as the infant that will be wrapped in it. I don't like seeing a small baby in black and grey it seems so sinister or bland. Babies deserve bright happy colors and designs.
Good luck. I know this would be so hard for me to do but I know you can muster the courage and create something wonderful and special for your newest family member.