Quilting

Patterns, patchworks and projects

Why You Should Never gift a quilt to a newborn says Dr. Pait

by

Rows baby quilt

Quilters are natural gift givers and many of you, like myself, especially enjoy welcoming new babies into the world with a quilt. With the colors and style reflecting the expecting mother’s taste. it’s often the centerpiece of the nursery, So, you can imagine my surprise when local physician (T. Glen Pait, M.D.) recommended this week on his radio show, Here’s to Your Health, to never give one to a newborn. He says,

 

If you are considering a blanket or comforter as a gift for a newborn, something to decorate the nursery would be much, much safer.

In the context of preventing SIDS, which was the topic of the show, I get his point. Tiny babies need to sleep on their backs on a tightly fitted sheet with no bedding or stuffed toys in the crib. But his advice to not give one as a gift assumes that parents who receive one for their baby are not savvy enough to keep it out of the crib until their wee one is a bit older (peak age for SIDS deaths is 3 1/2 months). As every parent knows, babies do not stay small long. It would be a shame to deprive them of a gift they will likely cherish their entire lives over a well meaning but misdirected PSA (public service announcement).

Photo uploaded by editor shows a portion of a baby quilt made showcasing a Mark Twain fabric collection. It was a gift to a newborn.

Comments

  2. Snooby: I think Dr. Pait is more of a parrot, just relaying the words of Marian Willinger, Ph.D. in a press release dated 12/1/2014 from NIH – National Institutes of Health for the study entitled Nearly 55 percent of U.S. infants sleep with potentially unsafe bedding
    Dr. Willinger explains:

    “Parents receive a lot of mixed messages,” said study author Marian Willinger, Ph.D., special assistant for SIDS at the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “Relatives may give them quilts or fluffy blankets as presents for the new baby, and they feel obligated to use them.”

    Source noodls.

  4. What a ridiculous man… Scaring young mothers with a stupid idea… Good thing us mothers and grandmothers know better… He’s probably never had kids… Shameful…

  5. It’s hard to believe so many generations of babies have survived being covered with quilts,blankets,comforters etc. This all before there were stretchy suits ……..and “experts” on everything, all contradicting each other !!

  6. Telling people not to give babies quilts, is like telling people not to give a little kid a red rider BB gun like in A Christmas Story, because they’ll shoot their eye out. It’s all about parental guidance, and responsibility. I wouldn’t obligated to put something in the crib with my child that could potentially be hazardous just because someone made it as a gift. Hazardous is hazardous. Now, would I want to take pics of me holding the baby with the blanket that they made? OF COURSE! Because that’s safe. When did we all lose our common sense? Good lord.

  8. There’s more than one way to use a quilt? What about using it as a play mat for tummy time etc? What about hanging it on a wall. Keep making those quilts for babies, please.

  9. I had my son 45 years ago. The junk that has come out since then still amazes me. A younger friend whose daughters were born when it was the thing to only give them formula until they were six months old still blows my mind. They were always hungry, their skin was translucent and they got colds more often. Mothers still know how to care for their babies and a cuddly warm quilt isn’t any more dangerous than a blanket. You have to be a parent and take care of your child so you check on them regularly, but no quilts? Good grief, what’s next?

  13. Exactly Bronwyn! Parents are not stupid and will do what is appropriate. If you are close enough to a person to make a baby quilt for them, then you will no doubt have had a conversation about its safe use. –Scarlett

  14. I hear you Adiarra, great point. It’s exactly like my friend and former Needlework editor for Craft Gossip said on this subject, “Better not give 6 month clothing at a baby shower, because the parents will probably put it on their newborn.” LOL The logic behind this recommendation is flawed. –Scarlett

Have you read?

Pine Tree Quilt Blocks for Nordic-Style Christmas Quilts

If you’ve been noticing more clean, minimalist Christmas quilts popping up lately, you’re not imagining it. Scandinavian-inspired quilting — often called Nordic quilting — has become increasingly popular thanks to its calm winter palette, simple shapes, and nature-inspired motifs.

Instead of busy holiday prints and bright reds and greens, Nordic-style Christmas quilts lean toward pine trees, snowy landscapes, soft greys, deep forest greens, and creamy neutrals. The designs feel modern and peaceful, but they still capture the cozy warmth of the holiday season.

One of the easiest ways to bring that aesthetic into your quilting is by using pine tree quilt blocks. These blocks are perfect for winter quilts, Christmas wall hangings, table runners, and even minimalist holiday decor quilts.

Below are several beautiful pine tree quilt block tutorials and Scandinavian-inspired quilt patterns that would work perfectly in a Nordic-style Christmas quilt.

Nordic Pine Tree Quilt Block Tutorial

One of the cleanest interpretations of a Scandinavian tree block comes from Diary of a Quilter, where Amy Smart shows how to make a simple pine tree quilt block using classic piecing techniques.

Her tutorial for the Nordic Tree Quilt Block keeps the shapes simple and geometric, which fits perfectly with the Scandinavian style. The block is built using triangles and rectangles, making it beginner-friendly while still producing a crisp modern look.

This type of block works especially well with neutral winter fabrics like soft greys, linen textures, and muted greens.

Evergreen Tree Quilt Pattern

If you prefer a full quilt pattern instead of a single block, Cluck Cluck Sew’s Evergreen Tree Quilt is a great example of how pine tree blocks can create a striking minimalist holiday quilt.

The design uses rows of simple pieced trees arranged in a modern layout, creating a quilt that feels both festive and contemporary without relying on traditional holiday prints.

This style of quilt looks especially beautiful when sewn with low-volume fabrics and solid greens, which helps emphasize the Nordic aesthetic.

 

Modern Improv Pine Tree Quilt Block

Amy Smart’s popular improv tree tutorial on Diary of a Quilter’s Modern Patchwork Tree Quilt tutorial shows how to build simple patchwork pine trees using rectangles and angled strips instead of precise templates. The relaxed “improv” piecing gives the trees a slightly organic look, which works beautifully for Nordic-style quilts where the goal is a natural forest feel rather than perfectly identical blocks. The method is also very stash-friendly and works wonderfully with scrap fabrics.

Scandinavian Tree Rows Quilt Pattern

For quilters who prefer a structured quilt layout, the Tree Rows quilt design featured on Quilty Love’s Scandinavian Tree Rows quilt pattern article shows how rows of minimalist pine trees can create a striking Nordic holiday quilt. The repeating tree shapes create a calm forest-like layout, especially when sewn with solid fabrics or low-volume prints. The pattern even includes additional projects like a coordinating pillow and table runner, which makes it a versatile winter quilting design.

Half-Square Triangle Pine Tree Quilt Block

Another beginner-friendly option comes from the tutorial at Craft Passion’s tree quilt block pattern tutorial, which demonstrates how to construct a small pine tree block using half-square triangles (HSTs). This technique creates crisp tree shapes with very little fabric waste and is a great way to use leftover triangle units from other quilt projects. The block finishes small but can easily be scaled up or repeated across a quilt top.

Classic Pine Tree Quilt Block Tutorial

A simple pine tree block tutorial can also be found on Neighborhood Quilt Club’s pine tree quilt block tutorial, which demonstrates a straightforward patchwork tree using basic square and triangle units. The design is intentionally simple, making it ideal for beginners who want to try a seasonal quilt block without complicated cutting or templates.

Woven Pine Tree Quilt Block

For something slightly different, the woven pine tree block featured on Susie’s Scraps woven pine tree quilt block tutorial uses a woven fabric layout that gives the tree shape subtle texture and depth. The pattern works beautifully in scrap fabrics and can easily be turned into placemats, table runners, or a full quilt top featuring rows of winter trees.

Nordic Quilting Fabric Ideas

The fabric choices play a huge role in achieving the Scandinavian aesthetic. Instead of traditional Christmas prints, look for fabrics that feel natural, calm, and wintery.

Good choices include:

  • muted forest greens
  • soft grey solids
  • cream and ivory prints
  • low-volume snowflake fabrics
  • linen-texture quilting cotton

Many quilt shops carry winter neutral fabric bundles specifically designed for Nordic-inspired projects, and these palettes work beautifully with pine tree quilt blocks.

Why Pine Tree Quilt Blocks Work So Well for Nordic Quilts

Pine trees are a classic motif in Scandinavian design because they reflect the Nordic landscape — forests, mountains, and winter nature.

In quilting, they’re also incredibly versatile:

  • They can be made with half-square triangles, flying geese, or strip piecing
  • They work well in modern quilts and traditional quilts
  • They look beautiful in scrap quilts or minimalist fabric palettes

Best of all, pine tree blocks can be used beyond Christmas. Many Nordic-style quilts featuring trees can stay on display all winter long.

If you’re looking for a holiday quilting project that feels modern, calm, and a little different from traditional Christmas quilts, pine tree quilt blocks are a perfect starting point.

Whether you sew a single block into a mini quilt or create an entire forest of trees across a full quilt, these Nordic-style designs bring a beautiful winter aesthetic to holiday quilting.

And the best part? With simple shapes and clean piecing, many of these blocks are beginner friendly while still looking incredibly polished.