Nancy L. Haydon

The art of cross stitch is a fantastic way to create an original gift for anyone in your life, but can especially celebrate the miracle of motherhood and a new baby's life.  Some of the most adorable and special patterns and designs that you can find in the world of cross stitch are those that celebrate new motherhood and new life.  There are so many unique and original cross stitch designs that there is one to suit any and all personalities from designs for new mothers to designs that celebrate the life of a new child.

There are also many different ways and styles available to celebrate the occasion of birth through cross stitch.  One of the most popular gifts is of course baby blankets, which naturally come in all sorts of different sizes with many differing designs.  Patterns for baby blankets can cover a small portion of the blanket such as a corner, or an entire blanket filling 90% of the open space with adorable characters and personalization.  Most baby blankets and many other items for babies can also be personalized with the new arrival's name, birth date, weight and length which makes for a wonderfully useful present that is also personalized with a special memory.

If you are looking for a more original present or you know the expecting mommy already has a trillion blankets there are a variety of different items that will make special gifts as well.  One of the more unique presents that can be given to a new family is a cross stitched height chart.  There are many patterns in all different cute and cuddly characters that are designed into simple height charts.  These items can often be made personal by adding the family or child's name at the top or bottom of the chart.  The height chart is also an item that both the parents and child will enjoy through out many years as well as for a trip down memory lane once the child is grown.

The fabric is easily marked so you can record the heights and dates in permanent marker all the while recording a bit of your child's history that will be cherished through out the years.  The best thing about a height chart of this style is not only personalization but as you move on to new homes the chart will be taken with you without having to bid goodbye to the wall you recorded such precious information on. 

Another popular way to celebrate life for a new mother and baby is to cross stitch small birth announcements that can be given to special family and friends. These can be time consuming as the information is going to be repetitive; I would suggest only creating these for close family and friends as many times there will be hundreds of paper announcements to send out.  Cross stitched birth announcements can become a treasured piece of memorabilia that will mark the coming of a new member to the family and commemorate the special occasion.  If you add a small ribbon, the announcement becomes a small decoration for the baby's room or a new holiday ornament that shares the birth of a new family member with all who visit your home.

Quilt squares can be made for each child and throughout life marking their accomplishments and achievements as well as from mommies memory books or pictures of special occasions.  Other gifts that are great for baby and new mom created in cross stitch are ornaments, Babies and Mommies 1st Christmas Stockings, room decorations for the new baby's room or a baby themed sampler that displays the birth information.

Babies and their new mommies can use such an assortment of items; anything from baby clothes, which are always a necessity, to bibs.  There are so many patterns and characters that come in a range of sizes for clothing and bibs for babies and children.  Mommies will appreciate blankets, afghans, and quilts that build stories full of everlasting, magical memories.

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