Having a baby is a busy and special time, and it is also a call for most cross-stitchers to get out their needle, floss, and fabric. Since most women announce their pregnancy months before the baby is born, it gives stitchers time to create and cross-stitch some beautiful projects.  Most people recommend that any crafted items you give be useful to the mother and baby, however there are some gifts that can last a lifetime. 

Keep It Personal

If you are going to cross-stitch a present for mother and baby, then you will want to make it something personal for them.  Find out what colors the parents are using in the nursery.  You may also know if it is a boy or a girl.  The only thing you may need to do for certain projects is wait to stitch on the date of birth, weight, and name until after the baby is born.  Still, many projects can be fairly complete by the time the baby is born, so it will take little time to finish and offer the present to the new parents soon after birth.

Cross-Stitch Project Ideas for Mother and Baby:

Blanket

Blankets are a fun and useful gift for mother and baby.  There are plenty of blankets available that are pre-made for cross-stitching.  Some fabrics are a soft aida fabric that you can stitch anywhere on the blanket.  Others have specific areas to stitch your design.

Quilt

While a blanket can be fun, a quilt can be even more personal.  You can cross-stitch several squares to reflect aspects of the baby's room, name, sex, birth date, and more.  It is a nice cover for both the mother and baby on those cooler nights when the mom is trying to rock the baby to sleep.

Bib

Most new parents can tell you that they can never have too many bibs. After all, babies are fairly messy eaters. If you do make a personalized cross-stitch bib for the baby, try to keep it simple.  If you want it to be a keepsake, then make sure you tell the mother, because most bibs will be dripped on, drooled on, and washed a hundred times.

Towels

Like the bib, towels are also a necessity. Parents also need burping towels for those messy after-meal burping sessions. A nice little design along the rim can add a little cheer to this simple need.

Clothing

Cross-stitching a pattern on a onesie or cute booties is a nice personalized cross-stitch gift for the mother and baby. You can stitch matching shirts or even matching hats for both the mother and baby.

Diaper Bag

Many parents have more than one diaper bag, and you can add a personalized touch to a bag by cross-stitching a design on it. 

Mobile

Creating little hangings and putting them together in a personalized mobile adds a simple touch to a baby's room. There are kits to help you make a musical mobile or you can just create a simple one that spins silently.

Photo Album

Parents are notorious for taking a lot of pictures of the new baby, so why not give them a photo album or scrapbook where they can keep those pictures. Just cross stitch your pattern and use it to create a fabric-covered album.

Tree Ornament

There are a lot of "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments on the market, but you can make one that is completely personalized for the baby and mother. Using characters or colors that the family likes best you can create something that will last for a lifetime.