Making Baby Quilts/Blankets?
 

Hi!

My husband and I are expecting our first next year, and I was wanting to start doing some research on making baby quilts. I was always told to use flannel for baby quilts, but am wondering if that is completely needed, or if it is ok to use regular quilting fabric.

Thank you!

Congratulations!!

Yes it's OK to use regular cottons for a baby quilt.

If you decide to use flannel though, consider using flannel as a batting as well. A softer, more supple quilt you will not find. Supple enough to wrap around a baby finger without folds!

It is perfectly fine to use regular cotton (non-flannel) for baby quilts, they come out soft and beautiful. Minky is another common fabric for baby quilts because it is so soft and cuddly. You can use any of these fabrics. Congratulations on your new baby!!

Goodness! First, congratulations! You can use whatever you want for your baby quilt. Sometimes I put flannel on the back. It makes the quilt really snuggly.

Depends on how you want to use the quilt... If you want it soft and snuggly (and remember they don't go in the crib) then flannel (well washed before you start cutting pieces) or minkee. Cottons have a different hand (IMHO) and I use them on only one side of a pieced quilt with the back either flannel or minkee -- or I use them to make "floor quilts" so I know the babies have a clean place to crawl. I have made a bunch of whole cloth flannel "receiving" blankets for grand children and others -- I make them WOF square with 2 pieces of flannel. My 11 year old DGS still uses his as lap blankets.-- his little brother uses them as capes.

I usually do cotton on both sides (though I have done ones with a flannel back). Keep in mind that the cotton will get softer & softer with each wash so I usually wash mine a time or two before its first use. imho, flannel is used for aesthetic/tactile reasons. I like to do a lot of applique & it's much easier to applique on to cotton so that's what I use. The one tip I'd share regardless of whether you use flannel or quilter's cotton, is to make sure the fabric is a good thickness (esp. if you're buying fabric at a box store like Joann, Hancock's or Hobby Lobby). If it is too thin, it will not wash as well & will tear easier). Other than that, pick what you love.
I've yet to get any complaints from the babies. :)
Congrats on your little one! How exciting!

congratulations!
It's your quilt, use what you want to.

Washability is my first concern - unless you are planning to put it on the wall as a decoration.

Congrats on the new baby! Cotton only; flannel only; cotton/flannel. They are all perfectly acceptable. As others have said, it's your quilt - do what you want. Holler if you need/want some help...I'm not THAT far away!

Thank you all, :)
I really appreciate it. My quilting group in Oregon made a lot of baby quilts, and they always used flannel, but I don't have much of it as yet, so was wanting to know if it'd be ok, or if there was something special about it and it was a must.

Make a note---------there are no hard and fast rules about baby quilts------or any other. If you want flannel, use flannel, if you want regular quilting cotton, use it.

missouri star quilt company has a video on youtube with a baby blanket- it's really cute - has 'mitered' corners when you turn it.

Not sure where in Philly you might be or what quilt shops are near to you. Fabric row really doesn't have much in the way of quilting fabrics - mostly garment and home dec. But, you could hop the high speed line train over to Haddonfield, NJ and go to The Little Shop there. Nice fabrics and wonderful folks. Or hop over to Jersey again and take the River Line train to Burlington city. The Olde Quilt Shop there is also very nice with great, helpful folks. A bit larger than the Haddonfield shop. Those are two that I am familiar with and shop in when the opportunity presents.