High/Low: Modern Quilts

Quilt Queen. Denyse Schmidt is undoubtedly the doyen of the modern quilt - using bold colors and pared down, graphic designs rather than more intricate, traditional and, to some eyes, “country” designs. And while we’re sure her quilts are worth every penny, we wanted to share a similar look that will cost you fewer pennies.

The Denyse Schmidt Baby Collection set - quilt, bumper and pillow sham - will set you back $225. A coordinating crib skirt is an additional $70. We found this set, in rich chocolate brown – quilt, sheet, bumper and skirt for $69.99 at Overstock.com. A similar look for significantly less.

Before you get your knickers in a twist – of course the Nursery promotes the crib bedding guidelines outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We're puzzled and annoyed that crib bedding is so often sold as a package instead of as separate items (so you’re paying for a bumper whether you’re going to use it or not - and AAP says not). However, we don’t know any parents who don’t own baby blankets and quilts. They use them on the floor, for bundling up for travel, or when their baby is old enough to safely use them at night. We'll continue to post about good bedding design and we hope you'll use bedding safely in your homes.

**Edited**: The brown quilt set is not designed by Denyse Schmidt - it is merely a similar look. For the real deal, you will have to pay a bit more, but we believe Schmidt's quilts to be well-made, lasting investments.

Comments (7)

Ha! That caveat was great.

On a more serious, but weirdly coincidental note, a woman in an online playgroup I visit just posted that she came into her baby's room just as the baby was gasping and struggling with her face pressed into the bumper. Apparently, even though she couldn't breathe, in her panic she was pressing her face HARDER into the bumper. Scary.

The bedding is nice but that crib (the one with the wheels, not the other odd looking one sided beast) wow, that is really nice. Any ideas about where that came from and if you can stick a real living baby inside it?

officially in love with that brown quilt. i have been a fan of denyse for a while, mostly of her flea market fabrics. she pretty much rocks. thanks for the link to that awesome quilt on overstock, i think i have to add that to the new baby's wish list.

It is really time for AT to show some leadership in this matter.

I love AT, and love AT:Nursery, but am getting a little fed up, and frankly, disgusted, at the constant flogging of baby bedding sets.

First off, the bumpers.

The reason they came into use was to prevent babies from getting their heads stuck between the rails of their cribs; regulations now require the rails to be spaced so that is impossible for babies to get their heads stuck between the rails, ergo THERE IS NO NEED FOR BUMPERS. NONE. They exist purely for aesthetic reasons. The American Pediatric Association has come down against their use. A recently released historic study demonstrated that their danger outweighs any benefit. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/health/09haza.html

And now, for the rest of the bedding.

Ah yes, the quilt. Well, for starters, babies are not supposed to sleep underneath quilts, duvets, etc. because of the risk of SIDS -- just sleepsacks or thin blankets. And even when they get old enough, does that look like the sort of bedding that would be comfortable to a young child to sleep under? Quilts such as this are usually matched with top sheets, at least in my experience (and you are not supposed to use those with young children). And giving a young child (a baby that is still puking, peeing, pooping uncontrollably) a Denyse Schmidt quilt, even when it is safe for the child to do so, does not mean it is safe for the quilt.

So basically, for $225, this bedding set yields a sheet and bed skirt (which is purely decorative), although I guess the quilt could serve as a wallhanging.

So I really have to ask, why does AT constantly encourage the use of such a product by featuring it on posts such as this? Surely you should be showing some leadership and encourang parents to find other ways to design nurseries than by means of such bedding sets?

Retailers will only respond to consumer pressure, but AT is in a unique position to help bring that consumer pressure about.

With regard to monika1's comment on bedding sets: I have already been planning on using my quilt as a floor/play quilt, which I don't feel too bad doing considering I only paid $110 for a new Babylicious crib set, not upwards of $300. I had heard about the bumper safety concerns, and frankly I'm having difficulty tying my bumper to the Baby Mod Park Lane crib anyhow, as the corners are wide (see photo here http://www.flickr.com/photos/newcreation/1924794546/in/pool-modernnursery/) ... so I was inspired by this bedding set, which comes with a "convertible bumper" (http://www.supernaturalbaby.com/Main/crib/bird.bumper.html) . Surely I could hack something like that out of my bumper? But then, in the end I'd have a crib sheet, a bed skirt (which in my case is aesthetically necessary or else you'll peek into the empty drawer underneath the mattress) and two floor mats. Hmmm. Perhaps this is all trying too hard to make it work.

Could I use the bumper in the beginning, before he is old enough to move himself around get stuck against it? I have a friend who used a bumper and a Boppy to create a small enclosed space similar to a cradle or a moses basket for her newborn, then gradually increased the space as he grew. Thoughts?

eloquacious:

No.

And here's why, from a post I posted in October:

bumpers are an issue on 2 seperate fronts:

1) getting caught in them (which happens when they move around) -- there was a study released just recently about the dangers they pose http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/10120.html

2) Reduced air flow/rebreathing:
"Rebreathing of air is another concern with crib bumper pads. The bumper reduces the flow of fresh air around baby during sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that some infants, when they are overheated or lack sufficient oxygen during sleep, are unable to arouse themselves enough to prevent hypoxia and death. The AAP states that re-breathing of air may in fact be a contributing factor to SIDS."

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/recallsandsafety/a/bumpersafety.htm

kris tina, it is the latter point that Julianna and I are wondering about...

posted by monika1 on 2007-10-09 16:27:44