Baby quilts make lovely gifts for showers, birth gifts and even christening gifts. These quilts make gifts that will be treasured for years to come and perhaps even become a family heirloom to be saved for the child who receives the quilt to pass on to their own children one day.

Hand-made quilts can be quite expensive, but because smaller quilts in sizes appropriate for baby are so much smaller, so are the prices!

•Quilts for baby can be found in animal themes, butterfly patterns, or the more traditional patterns such as the friendship quilt. Normally quilts for babies come in sizes large enough to use easily in the baby bed, and even later on when your baby moves into a youth size bed.

A rainbow pattern quilt can be an educational item for a baby as well, in addition to making the baby feel warm and secure.

•With all the colors of the rainbow, your baby can have their first experience with the names of colors and begin to identify the colors themselves as they get a bit older. Babies just love bright, happy colors surrounding him or her.

•Some other ideas for educational, yet beautiful quilts for baby are the ABC quilts and the 123 quilts. Teaching baby early about what numbers and letters mean can help develop intellect that will stick with them as they begin pre-school.

If you happen to know a quilter or happen to make quilts yourself, a hand-crafted baby gift made with love can be a wonderful solution. However, in today’s rushing world, few people have time to follow this age-old tradition. Finding beautiful, quality made quilts for your babies can easily be found online these days.