Monday, January 31, 2011

Baby story

I've written before about my practice of making newborn quilts out of black and white fabrics only.  Because babies' ability to distinguish colors doesn't develop for several weeks, they can't focus properly on multicolored objects, but love black and white.

The latest newborn in our family is Kate, who arrived last week and is now home.  Her father reports:  "When we showed her the quilt Kate stopped squirming, stopped sucking on her pacifier and... it looks like she's reading it."  So far every baby we've tried this out on has had the same response, which warms my heart.  Never too early to get those kids reading!

If you have a new baby on the way, try making a black and white quilt.  It doesn't have to be big -- mine are all about 16 inches square -- and it buys you lots of time before you have to actually deliver on a regulation baby quilt.  (And it lets you wait till the baby has a name, so you can sew that into the quilt.)

2 comments:

  1. I do! I make black, white, and red baby quilts. They can't 'see' pastels. I learned that with my youngest who would SCREAM in the rear-facing back seat while I drove. I amde a poster collaged with balck, red & white large shapes and he would sit in silence fo r15 minutes so I could drive without feeling like I was killing him. ;P Suggest to new parents to throw that quilt over the back seat in the car for rear facing babes. It works!!

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  2. What an interesting study (ok, not really!) but it is interesting! I hope I remember this for the next 'baby' that I might need to make something for!!

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