Guidelines for making EBHQ's Children's Quilts

Every quilt will be cherished, whether simple in design or very fancy indeed. The children do not mind if seams are a little crooked or that points in your patchwork do not exactly match. More important is the love and concern stitched into your quilts.

Safety: 
 
Quilts should be washable and should not have attachments such as buttons or beads if used by babies and toddlers. Please take extra care to remove all pins and needles.

Size: 

Every size is needed -  for  tiny preemies to amazing gangling teens. Whatever size you make, we will find a child to treasure your gift.

Preemie incubators: approx. 36" x 36"
These tiny quilts are placed on top of the incubators to shield the babes from noise and bright lights of the  Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
Babies over 6 months: 36" x 36" or bigger
Toddlers: approx. 40" x 48"
Tweens and teens: Lap to single bed size

Materials: 
Fabric: cotton or cotton/poly (best to pre-wash)
Batting: cotton and/or poly, or washed and dried flannel
Children with AIDS do not tolerate synthetics well. The homeless need warm quilts.

Style: 

Juvenile prints or panels
(Cheater cloth makes sweet quick quilts!)
Pieced patchwork (any pattern)
Washable stenciling or drawing
Applique or embroidery

Colors:

Most children love bright, happy colors and patterns while drug-addicted infants cannot tolerate bright colors or busy prints. Both schemes are needed.

How to finish:

Tie or hand or machine quilt. A sewn-on double binding may last much longer but may not be as important in the whole scheme of things as quickly finishing a smaller quilt envelope style