Tool
Quilt size calculator: bed, baby and blanket sizes
Choose what you are making, then how far a bed quilt should hang. Add a block size and the calculator lays the blocks out and tells you what border is left over. Free, no account, nothing saved: it runs in your browser.
Your finished size
Finished size
70 × 101 in
width × length, after binding
Blocks
5 × 8
40 blocks, cut at 12½ in
Border left over
5 / 2½ in
each side / top and bottom, finished
Show the math
- Size. Drop = 16 in (12 in of mattress + 4 in past it). Width = 38 + 2 × 16 = 70 in. Length = 75 + 16 at the foot + 10 pillow tuck = 101 in.
- Blocks. 70 ÷ 12 = 5.83, so 5 across; 101 ÷ 12 = 8.42, so 8 down. The pieced centre is 60 × 96 in.
- Border. What is left over, split between opposite edges: (70 − 60) ÷ 2 = 5 in each side, (101 − 96) ÷ 2 = 2½ in top and bottom. Cut border strips half an inch wider than they finish.
- Cut size. 12 in finished + ¼ in seam allowance on each side = 12½ in. One more block each way would make the centre 72 × 108 in with no border.
What quilt sources publish as a twin quilt: Missouri Star 68 × 86; Simply Quilting 65 × 88; Sew Can She 58 × 85 to 81 × 105. They differ because each picked its own drop.
The fabric link assumes each block is one square of fabric. Pieced blocks need their own cut list.
Quilt size chart by bed
Mattress sizes from the Better Sleep Council. Quilt sizes are the calculator's arithmetic at its starting assumptions: a 12-inch-deep mattress, a coverlet hanging 4 inches past it, a 24-inch height to the floor and a 10-inch pillow tuck. Measure your own bed and change them above.
| Bed | Mattress (in) | Top of mattress | Coverlet | Bedspread to floor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38 × 75 | 62 × 97 | 70 × 101 | 86 × 109 |
| Twin XL | 38 × 80 | 62 × 102 | 70 × 106 | 86 × 114 |
| Full / double | 53 × 75 | 77 × 97 | 85 × 101 | 101 × 109 |
| Queen | 60 × 80 | 84 × 102 | 92 × 106 | 108 × 114 |
| King | 76 × 80 | 100 × 102 | 108 × 106 | 124 × 114 |
| California king | 72 × 84 | 96 × 106 | 104 × 110 | 120 × 118 |
Width × length, finished, in inches. The crib is left out on purpose: the Better Sleep Council lists a crib/toddler mattress at 27 × 52 and federal rules (16 CFR 1241.2) set a full-size crib mattress at no less than 27¼ × 51⅝, but a baby quilt is not sized by drop. See the baby table below.
“Standard” quilt sizes: three sources disagree
No standards body sets quilt sizes. These are the finished sizes three quilting publishers print, side by side, so you can see the spread rather than one invented standard. Missouri Star says its sizes include a 10 to 12 inch drop and a pillow tuck.
| Quilt | Missouri Star | Simply Quilting | Sew Can She |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 36 × 52 | 36 × 54 | Not stated |
| Lap / throw | 50 × 65 | 38 × 38 to 50 × 50 | Not stated |
| Twin | 68 × 86 | 65 × 88 | 58 × 85 to 81 × 105 |
| Twin XL | Not stated | Not stated | 58 × 90 to 81 × 111 |
| Full / double | 84 × 90 | 80 × 88 | Not stated |
| Queen | 90 × 95 | 86 × 93 | Not stated |
| King | 108 × 95 | 104 × 93 | Not stated |
| California king | 102 × 100 | Not stated | Not stated |
Width × length in inches. Sew Can She's twin and twin XL figures are its minimum and its upper end; its other sizes are in a printable image we have not transcribed. Simply Quilting's lap quilt is a square range, 38 to 50 inches a side.
Newborn and baby blanket sizes
Baby blankets are sized by job, not by a bed. These are the makers' and quilting sources' own figures; where two disagree, both are shown.
| Blanket | What it is for | Size (in), per source |
|---|---|---|
| Lovey / security blanket | A small comfort square, not a cover |
|
| Receiving blanket | Thin flannel for the first weeks: wrapping, burping, a clean surface |
|
| Swaddle | Large and square, because wrapping takes a lot of fabric |
|
| Stroller / car seat blanket | Small enough not to drag on the ground |
|
| Baby quilt | Play mat, pram cover or keepsake |
|
| Crib blanket / crib quilt | Sized to a crib or toddler bed |
|
Lambs & Ivy prints its stroller range as 22 × 30 to 30 × 35, hence “about”. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists quilts and blankets among the loose bedding to keep out of a baby's sleep area (AAP, HealthyChildren.org), which is why a baby quilt usually ends up as a play mat, a pram cover or a keepsake.
How the calculator works
- Start from the mattress. The bed is the only fixed point. Width and length come from the Better Sleep Council chart; depth varies so much between mattresses that you should measure it.
- Choose the drop. Top of mattress: the drop is the mattress depth. Coverlet: the depth plus a few inches (we start at 4). Bedspread: the height from the floor to the top of the mattress.
- Apply the formula. Width = mattress width + 2 × drop. Length = mattress length + drop at the foot + pillow tuck. It is the same formula Missouri Star Quilt Co. publishes, and our quilt size chart works from it too.
- Lay out the blocks. Finished width ÷ finished block size, rounded down, is the blocks across; the same for the length gives the blocks down. The remainder becomes the border, split evenly between opposite edges. Each block is cut half an inch larger than it finishes, for a quarter-inch seam on every side.
- Hand off the numbers. The finished size goes to the quilt backing and binding calculator; the block count and cut size go to the fabric yardage calculator.
What you cut a quilt with
The top pick on each of our shelves, at today's price.
Rotary Cutters · OLFA 45mm Squeeze-Handle Rotary Cutter$20.47 4.7 out of 5 stars · 9,493 ratings
Cuts strips and squares against the ruler, several layers at once.
Cutting Mats · anezus 12inch x 18inch Self Healing Sewing Mat$8.99 4.7 out of 5 stars · 21,438 ratings
The surface the blade runs on; its grid does half the measuring.
Quilting Rulers · LINXIAO 4 Piece Acrylic Square Quilting Rulers$7.97 4.7 out of 5 stars · 1,286 ratings
Sets the width of every strip and square you cut.
Quilt Batting · FIVEIZERO 100% Natural Cotton Quilt Batting$12.99 4.7 out of 5 stars · 601 ratings
The middle layer. Buy a piece bigger than your finished top.
Researched, not hands-on tested. We may earn a commission; it never changes a pick.
Frequently asked
What size is a newborn blanket?
It depends on the blanket. Gerber sells its flannel receiving blankets at 30 by 30 inches and Lambs & Ivy puts receiving blankets at 30 to 40 inches square. Swaddles are bigger, 40 to 45 inches square per Lambs & Ivy and 47 by 47 for an aden + anais muslin. A baby quilt is commonly 30 by 30 up to 40 by 50 inches, per Sew Can She.
What size is a twin size quilt?
A twin mattress is 38 by 75 inches (Better Sleep Council), so the quilt is 38 plus twice the drop wide and 75 plus the drop and any pillow tuck long. A 16-inch drop with a 10-inch tuck gives 70 by 101; Missouri Star publishes 68 by 86 and Simply Quilting 65 by 88, because each picked a different drop.
What size is a queen quilt?
A queen mattress is 60 by 80 inches. With a 12-inch drop and a 10-inch pillow tuck the quilt is 84 by 102; with a 16-inch drop it is 92 by 106. Missouri Star publishes 90 by 95 and Simply Quilting 86 by 93.
How do I work out what size quilt I need?
Measure the mattress, including its depth. Width is the mattress width plus twice the drop; length is the mattress length plus the drop at the foot plus a pillow tuck if you want one. The drop is your choice: the mattress depth to cover its sides, a few inches more for a coverlet, or the height to the floor for a bedspread.
What size should a crochet or knitted blanket be?
The finished sizes are the same as for a sewn blanket: pick the use and the size from the chart, then work your stitch and row counts from your gauge swatch. Yarn crafts do not need a seam allowance, so ignore the block cut size.
How many quilt blocks do I need?
Divide the finished quilt width by the finished block size and round down for the blocks across; do the same with the length for the blocks down. Whatever is left over becomes the border. A 70 by 101 inch twin with 12-inch blocks takes 5 by 8 blocks, 40 in all, with a 5-inch border on the sides and 2½ inches top and bottom.
Sources
Last checked: . Every size on this page that is not arithmetic comes from one of these pages.
- Better Sleep Council: Mattress SizesThe consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association. Lists crib/toddler, twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king dimensions.
- 16 CFR 1241.2 (US federal regulation, via Cornell LII): Requirements for crib mattressesA full-size crib mattress must measure at least 27 1/4 inches wide and 51 5/8 inches long.
- Missouri Star Quilt Co.: Quilt Sizes Chart: Every Standard Size from Crib to KingA finished-size chart from crib to California king; says its sizes include a 10 to 12 inch drop on each side and a pillow tuck, which it puts at usually 8 to 10 inches.
- Simply Quilting (Today's Quilter and Love Patchwork & Quilting): Standard quilt sizesUS bed quilt sizes from crib to king, a lap-quilt range and a baby-quilt range.
- Sew Can She: Common or standard quilt sizesA baby-quilt range and twin and twin XL minimums built from a 10 inch drop and a 10 inch pillow tuck. Its other sizes sit in a printable image, so they are not repeated here.
- Lambs & Ivy: Baby blanket size guideA baby-bedding maker's chart of lovey, receiving, swaddle, stroller and crib blanket sizes.
- Gerber Childrenswear: 5-pack flannel receiving blankets (product page)Gerber's own listing sizes its flannel receiving blankets at 30 by 30 inches.
- aden + anais: Cotton muslin swaddle (product page)The aden + anais cotton muslin swaddle is listed at 47 by 47 inches (120 by 120 cm).
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy ExplainedLists quilts, comforters and blankets among the soft objects and loose bedding to keep out of a baby's sleep area.