How Big Should I Make This Quilt?

 We make quilts for many reasons – to welcome a new baby, to toss on the couch, or to warm our bed. But as with many things, size matters! How the quilt will be used usually determines how big you’ll want to make it.

Tiered Flower Wall Hanging - Applique / Daisy Toegel

If you’re making a wallhanging or table topper, base your size on the area it’s going to cover. For a wallhanging, that means understanding the width and length of the of the area and the length of a quilt hanger if you’re going to use one. For a table topper, decide if the quilt is going to sit in the middle of the table with space around it, or if you’ll drape it over a table so it extends beyond the furniture. Either of these style of quilts can be very small, or very large.

Cherry Rag Quilt / Amanda Brown

For babies or toddlers, any quilt on the smaller size will work. A baby size that a lot of quilters like is 40”x40” because when you purchase backing, if you ask for 1-1/4 yards, you won’t have to piece the back and will still have enough fabric extending for quilting. This is also a great size to throw over a table for a larger table topper. 40”x55” also is a common size for a child’s quilt. Once the baby is older, these smaller sizes are just right for wrapping up stuffies or dolls!

Simple Squares with Yo-yo details / Daisi Toegel

When it comes to throws or couch quilts, you want them to provide enough coverage for one or two but not be as large as a bed quilt. If you’re making it for someone who is tall, you’ll need more length. Likewise, if the quilt is for someone who is a wheelchair user, the quilt should be shorter, but also generous enough to tuck around the person.

Crazy Quilt / Daisi Toegel

And then there’s bed quilts with all of their variables! Do you want to tuck it in at the bottom of the bed or fold it up over the pillows? How far do you want it to extend beyond the sides of the mattress on each side. While mattress sizes are standardized, the depth of mattress can range from ten to twenty inches deep. Grab a pencil and paper, and your measuring tape,  to get the perfect size quilt for your bed.

Half Square Triangle ON POINT / Daisi Toegel

Start by measuring your mattress and drawing its dimensions on your paper. Jot down the depth of your mattress, too. Determine how much you need to add to the length of the quilt to be able to tuck it in at the bottom. These measurements will be the length of the mattress + the depth + the amount to tuck under that will keep the quilt from pulling out while you sleep. I good rule of thumb is 8-10” for the tuck under.

A pillow tuck is what you call the area of your quilt that folds under and then goes over the top of your pillows. It helps to know how wide your pillows are and also how much you want to tuck under. A 4” tuck seems to be adequate for most quilts, but you can always be a little more generous. Add the width of your pillow + the tuck amount to the previous measurements and you’ll have the ideal length for your bed quilt.

"Jam" Roll Race without Precuts / Erin Kroeker

The final measurement is how far do you want your quilt to hang off the sides of the bed. Most people want the quilt to hang at least to the bed rails, and maybe just an inch or two beyond. Add the width of your mattress + the overhang on the left side + the overhang on the right side to determine this measurement. To account for shrinkage during machine quilting, add 2-4” on each side. Now you have an idea of what size pattern you’ll need or a block size if you’re doing it on your own. It’s frustrating when you get ready to use a quilt and realize it’s just a little too short one way or another.

One last thing to consider when you’re figuring out how big your quilt should be are batting sizes. With batting, you want to be sure you have an extra 4” on each side of the top for machine quilting. Here are some common batting sizes to remember: crib – 45x60”; twin – 72x90”; full – 81x96”; queen – 90x108”; king – 120x120”. Check with your longarm quilter for a king size to quilt make sure their machine can accommodate the size. If not, ask for a reference.

Just like quilters, quilts come in lots of sizes. We know the perfectly sized one is out there waiting for you to make!