Standard quilt sizes vary by tradition, but these dimensions are the most widely used in North American quilting. All sizes include enough drop to cover the top of the mattress — add extra length and width if you want a deeper drop to cover the sides and foot.
The "drop" is how far the quilt hangs over the sides and foot of the mattress. Standard quilt sizes include a modest drop. To calculate the quilt size you need for a specific drop:
These are ballpark figures for backing and binding yardage. Use the calculators below for exact amounts based on your specific design.
A standard baby quilt is 36" × 52", which fits a crib mattress (28" × 52") with a small drop. For a playmat or tummy-time quilt, 36" × 36" or 40" × 40" are popular sizes. If the quilt is a gift, consider making it lap size (50" × 65") so it can be used as the child grows.
A queen quilt is typically 90" × 108" to cover a 60" × 80" mattress with a generous drop. A king quilt is 108" × 108" for a 76" × 80" king mattress. The extra width of a king quilt requires significantly more fabric — plan for roughly 25–30% more yardage than a queen.
Add 10–20" to the length of your quilt for a pillow tuck — the portion that folds back over the pillows. 12" is a common choice. This is in addition to any drop you want at the foot of the bed.
Backing fabric must be at least 4" larger than the quilt top on all sides (8" total per dimension). For most quilts wider than 40", you'll need to seam two or three widths of standard 44" fabric together. Use the Backing Calculator above to get an exact yardage figure for any quilt size.
The terms are often used interchangeably. A lap quilt (50" × 65") is sized for one person sitting on a couch. A throw is slightly larger (50" × 70" or 60" × 72") and may drape over the back of a sofa. Both are smaller than any bed quilt.