Sunbonnet babies quilts are so heart-warming, sherinjoy. So childlike and wholesome. Thanks for the kind words.
I have been wanting to get back to this particular space because I had the chance to read Harmony's post but not respond yet, since I had a houseguest. First, congratulations, Harmony! Is this the son in the Carolinas or a daughter in FL who will be blessed?
That is the constant question, isn't it. Not much time but really wanting to do something special for a quilt. I remember being completely paralyzed before making my last two baby quilts until I knew whether a boy or a girl. Of course, in the past people made generic baby quilts (a lot of mint green!) because no one knew in advance. But now when almost all parents find out first, that doesn't seem to make as much sense any more. I couldn't even seem to come up with a thought until that phone call, "It's a ___".
I have read that it is actually faster to applique in simple shapes (not the Baltimore Album fancy kind) than to piece to create the same size quilt top. Honestly I haven't done enough applique to prove that personally. I machine appliqued the wheels on the truck for the baby quilt recently, and I was nervous about it, but it went fine. So who knows. I think the trick would be just one block at a time, nothing onto big expanses of fabric. (I used this method and a blanket stitch so the wheels would be soft not stiff.)
Keepsake Quilting says just buy their already cut-out shapes (they have lots for children) and spray the backs with fusible spray (they sell one called 606), affix and then applique by machine without turning under for really fast quilts. I have never tried this, but it does interest me, wondering if it would make the quilt stiff.
For a cute new pieced baby quilt pattern out there, I have seen this oneand it really makes me do a double-take but I can see how it is simple blocks. It's sold several places, I just picked this site because they show a larger view when you click on it and give fabric requirements. Of course, this typespeaks to my little traditional scrap-collecting heart, of course.