What are the standard quilt sizes?
These are the sizes in the Patchwork Quilt Builder’s size presets. Charts online vary by a few inches, because quilters choose different drops. Any of these is a good starting point. Drop is how far the quilt hangs over each side of the mattress.
| Quilt | Finished size (in) | Finished size (cm) | Mattress size (in) | Drop per side |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Baby | 36" × 36" | 91 × 91 cm | None | None |
| Crib | 36" × 52" | 91 × 132 cm | 28" × 52" | 4" on the sides |
| Throw | 50" × 65" | 127 × 165 cm | None (for a sofa or lap) | None |
| Twin | 70" × 90" | 178 × 229 cm | 38" × 75" | 16" |
| Full | 85" × 108" | 216 × 274 cm | 54" × 75" | 15½" |
| Queen | 90" × 108" | 229 × 274 cm | 60" × 80" | 15" |
| King | 108" × 108" | 274 × 274 cm | 76" × 80" | 16" |
What other quilt sizes are there?
Patchwork also has a Picnic Blanket size, 60" × 60" (152 × 152 cm). It isn’t a bed size, but it is a good square for the floor, the beach or the back seat. Wall hangings and table runners have no standard size. Measure the wall or table and work from there.
The builder’s Full is as long as its Queen, 108", which gives a long drop at the foot of a full bed. Many charts list a full quilt shorter, at about 80" to 85" wide and 90" to 100" long. If you want a full that just covers the mattress and sides, use the custom steps below.
What size should a quilt be if it isn’t for a bed?
For a sofa, a throw of about 50" × 65" covers one adult from shoulders to feet. Make it 60" × 70" or larger if two people will share it. A lap quilt for a chair or wheelchair is smaller, about 36" × 48", so it doesn’t drag on the floor or catch in the wheels.
For a wall, measure the space and leave a margin of wall around the quilt. Wall quilts are often 24" to 48" on a side. Add a hanging sleeve (a tube of fabric on the back for a rod) before you bind it.
A baby quilt for the floor or a play mat can be bigger than a crib quilt. The 60" × 60" Picnic Blanket size gives a baby room to roll.
What is drop, and how much do you need?
Drop is the part of the quilt that hangs over the edge of the mattress. How much you need depends on how you use the quilt. A topper sits on top of the bed and barely covers the sides. A coverlet hangs just past the bottom of the mattress, usually over a bed skirt. A bedspread reaches almost to the floor and is long enough to tuck over the pillows.
Mattresses vary in depth. Measure yours from the top edge to the bottom edge before you decide.
| Style | Drop on each side | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Topper | 0" to 6" | The top of the mattress |
| Coverlet | 10" to 14" | The mattress and part of the box spring |
| Bedspread | 20" to 24" | Almost to the floor, and over the pillows |
How do you work out a custom quilt size?
Measure the mattress, decide on the drop, and add the drop to each side. Add a little more to the length if you want to tuck the quilt under the pillows.
For example, a queen mattress is 60" × 80". With a 12" drop and a 10" pillow tuck, the quilt should be 60 + 24 = 84" wide and 80 + 12 + 10 = 102" long. With 6" blocks, that is exactly 14 blocks across and 17 down.
- Measure the width and length of the top of the mattress.
- Measure the drop you want, from the top edge of the mattress down the side.
- Add two drops to the mattress width: one for each side.
- Add one drop to the mattress length for the foot of the bed, plus about 10" if you want to tuck the quilt under the pillows.
- Round both numbers to a size your blocks divide into evenly, or plan a border to make up the difference.
How do you fit blocks to a quilt size?
Divide each side of the quilt by the block size. If the answer is a whole number, the blocks fit. If not, you need a border or a different block size. A 90" × 108" queen takes 9" blocks evenly (10 × 12) and 18" blocks evenly (5 × 6). With 12" blocks it is 7½ blocks across, so make 7 and add a 3" border on each side.
The Quilt Builder does this for you. Pick a size in step 1 and an approximate square size in step 2, and it finds the nearest square size that divides your quilt evenly, or tells you how far off the closest one is. For block counts and layout ideas for a queen, see quilt pattern ideas.
How much backing and binding does each quilt size need?
These come from the builder’s yardage step. Backing is 4" larger than the quilt on every side, pieced from as many widths of 42"-wide fabric as it takes. Binding is 2½" strips cut across the fabric, with 10" extra for joining and turning corners. The top fabric depends on the pattern, so open one in the builder for that. For small quilts, see baby quilt patterns, which lists fabric for fifteen patterns.
| Quilt | Backing | Widths of fabric | Binding strips (2½") | Binding yardage | Batting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Baby | 2¾ yd | 2 | 4 | ½ yd | 40" × 40" |
| Crib | 2¾ yd | 2 | 5 | ½ yd | 40" × 56" |
| Throw | 3½ yd | 2 | 6 | ⅝ yd | 54" × 69" |
| Picnic Blanket | 4⅛ yd | 2 | 6 | ⅝ yd | 64" × 64" |
| Twin | 5¾ yd | 2 | 8 | ¾ yd | 74" × 94" |
| Full | 8 yd | 3 | 10 | ⅞ yd | 89" × 112" |
| Queen | 8½ yd | 3 | 10 | ⅞ yd | 94" × 112" |
| King | 10 yd | 3 | 11 | 1 yd | 112" × 112" |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What size is a queen quilt?
- About 90" × 108" (229 × 274 cm). That covers a 60" × 80" queen mattress with about 15" hanging over each side.
- What size is a king quilt?
- About 108" × 108" (274 × 274 cm). That covers a 76" × 80" king mattress with about 16" hanging over each side.
- What size is a throw quilt?
- About 50" × 65" (127 × 165 cm). It’s big enough to cover one person on a sofa. Throws vary more than bed quilts, from about 50" to 60" wide.
- What is the standard baby quilt size?
- A baby quilt is usually 36" × 36" (91 × 91 cm). A crib quilt is 36" × 52" (91 × 132 cm), the length of a standard crib mattress.
- Should a quilt be bigger than the duvet?
- A quilt and a duvet are usually about the same size for the same bed. If you use a quilt on top of a duvet, make it the same size or a few inches bigger so it covers the duvet’s edges. For other ways to plan a quilt, see quilt patterns and how to design a quilt.