I started this crib-size quilt when I heard that my friend Rebecca was pregnant. Rebecca had just moved to Texas to be with family. A dyed-in-the-wool liberal, she seemed a little uncomfortable. Trying to think of something good about Texas, armadillos came to mind. Sometimes I think about moving to the South just to be closer to armadillos.

Curling its head and feet and contorting itself into a hard ball, the nine-banded armadillo confounds potential predators. I just know there’s a soft soul under that hard shell! Also, in this quilt I lied a little bit: Armadillos are most likely to be found in rainforests, grasslands, and semi-deserts, not among cacti.

The backing, batting and background are made from 100-percent, high-quality Kona cotton; the armadillo itself, including its nine bands, is made from a velvety repurposed cotton shirt that fit both the armadillo’s intricate grey patterning and the baby’s need for tactile exploration. This quilt measures 40 x 34.5 inches. It is machine-washable and doubles as a wall hanging or bathroom rug.

SOLD. Contact me at sabineheinlein@gmail.com if you’re interested in a similar, custom made baby quilt.

Photos: Rebecca Krasnik