Trying to figure out the perfect gift to give a new mother? You may want to consider creating baby shawls for gifts. They are beautiful, functional, and something few people are going to bring as a gift.
What are baby shawls? While many of you might be thinking it is an entire baby blanket, if you follow the exact definition it is designed to be worn over the shoulder, around the neck, and normally drapes down over the upper portion of the body. Shawls do come in many lengths, including covering the entire body, which makes them almost like a blanket.
Baby shawls are going to cover two primary functions. One style is primarily used as a kind of baby blanket to wrap up the baby and keep them warm. This is probably the one most people think of first.
The second form of baby shawl is designed for the mother to wear and to provide a privacy barrier during nursing. This might be the one the young mothers would appreciate the most. Instead of trying to cover up with a little baby blanket when they need to nurse in public they could have a beautiful, lightweight, shawl to throw around their shoulders and over the nursing baby.
As you start thinking about making baby shawls as gift, make sure you think about comfort. If you are planning to knit or crochet the shawl try to find your yarn made out of natural fibers of cotton or wool. It is going to cost a little more, but you will increase the comfort of the mother and baby dramatically. The more common yarns containing a large percentage of man-made fibers can be great for many things, but for a baby they do not breathe as well. This means they are not nearly as efficient as a cover.
Choose to go with the lightest yarn you can work with comfortably, especially if this is going to be used as a privacy wrap. You want the mother and baby to have the privacy they need, but not to become hot sitting in the corner of a mall while the baby nurses.
What other features could you include on the shawls? For a privacy wrap you could consider adding a little tie, velcro clasp, or button to allow the shawl to be safely kept in place without the mother constantly needing to readjust during nursing.
As with anything else you crochet or knit, using a variety of colors can make the item look very special, especially if you have a design you are creating. If you want to keep it simple, go with light pink for girls, light blue for baby boys, or simply go with white to satisfy everyone.
You can find a wide variety of patterns for baby shawls in crafts stores and through online supply stores. If you are not really wanting to exercise your own skills there are plenty of stores offering beautiful shawls for sale. The young mother is going to love having a shawl for her baby, and herself.