Book Review - Cuddle Me Quick by Christine Porter and Darra Williamson

Hi everyone:

Recently I've found myself looking at books on baby quilts. No, there is no new addition coming into our family, but one of my best quilting buds has a new grandbaby, so maybe that's why. In any case, these are the type of quilt books that I'm been looking at lately. 

Photo courtesy of That Patchwork Place/Martingale

Martingale recently released a book full of cute baby quilts by Christine Porter and Darra Williamson. Cuddle Me Quick has 11 baby-size projects in it, combining both pieced and appliqué blankies. In addition to the cuddly patterns, Christine and Darra give you lots of helpful information for constructing and completing the projects, with many project specific tips. 

Comin' Down the Tracks from Cuddle Me Quick
Photo courtesy of That Patchwork Place/Martingale

One of the many things that I liked about the book, in addition to the projects themselves, was that information was given about how to quilt each project. Close-up photos of each quilt were given with a description as to the quilting motif, as well as the thread and thread colour used. I've never been a fan of "quilt as desired", so I appreciated this extra content. Since baby quilts are a good project for a new quilter, who may not have much experience choosing a quilting design, providing that information is very helpful. 

Rubber Duckies from Cuddle Me Quick
Photo courtesy of That Patchwork Place/Martingale

The designs themselves are simple enough for most beginner quilters, with some being a bit more advanced. Again, great projects for a novice quilter. These are also quilts that I could see actually being used and washed and used again. Some patterns for baby quilts seem more of the heirloom variety and I couldn't imagine using them, especially knowing how often they'll be washed. Not so with these designs: they're just the type of quilt that you'd want to wrap around a little one, and cuddle him/her up. 

It Takes a Village from Cuddle Me Quick
Photo courtesy of That Patchwork Place/Martingale

These quilts are not just for babies either. Again, some patterns are too baby-ish and would be outgrown by the time a child is 4 or 5. These quilts will grow with the child and are large enough to wrap around an older child. Most of the patterns would be suitable for both boys and girls, with a few being more specifically for either a girl or boy.

If you're looking for a great book with lots of patterns for babies and toddlers, I would definitely add this to your library.