A quilt’s size is a decision, not a lookup: mattress, plus how far you want it to hang, plus a tuck if it wraps the pillows. Set those three and the finished size follows: with the standard chart for checking.
The Bed and the Look
Make Your Quilt
84 × 102in
for a 60 × 80 in mattress, 12 in drop, pillow tuck
Plan an inch or two over: quilting draws the top in 1–3% before the drop ever meets the bed.
- Width60 + 12 + 12 = 84 in
- Length80 + 12 + 10 tuck = 102 in
- In 10″ blocks8 × 10 = 80 blocks
The Formula
quilt width = mattress width + 2 × drop · quilt length = mattress length + drop + pillow tuckDrop hangs on both sides and the foot; the head end gets the tuck instead: 10 in to wrap under the pillows, or nothing when pillows sit on top in shams.
Worked Example
A queen mattress (60 × 80), 12 in drop, with a pillow tuck:
- Width: 60 + 24 = 84 in. Length: 80 + 12 + 10 = 102 in.
- That’s a hair over the familiar “queen quilt, 90 × 100”, the chart’s figure assumes a shallower drop. Neither is wrong; the drop you chose is the quilt you want.
Mattress and Quilt Size Chart
Mattresses are standardized; quilt sizes are conventions. The quilt column here uses 12 in drop with tuck, from the formula above.
| Bed | Mattress | Quilt (12″ drop + tuck) | Common store size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 28 × 52 | 52 × 64 in | 36 × 52 in |
| Twin | 38 × 75 | 62 × 97 in | 70 × 90 in |
| Twin XL | 38 × 80 | 62 × 102 in | 70 × 95 in |
| Full | 54 × 75 | 78 × 97 in | 84 × 90 in |
| Queen | 60 × 80 | 84 × 102 in | 90 × 100 in |
| King | 76 × 80 | 100 × 102 in | 108 × 100 in |
| Cal king | 72 × 84 | 96 × 106 in | 104 × 108 in |
How to Measure Your Inputs
- Measure the made bed, not the label: a pillow-top queen stands inches taller, and the drop covers the side height you actually have.
- Drop: measure from the mattress top edge down to where you want the quilt’s hem: mattress side only (≈ 10–14 in), or to the bottom of the box spring (≈ 16–20).
- Skip the tuck when pillows live in shams on top of the quilt.
Assumptions and Defaults
- Pillow tuck adds 10 in; deep two-pillow stacks may want 12–15.
- Quilting draws a finished top in by 1–3%; add an inch or two to the plan if the drop is exact.
- Common store sizes vary by brand, the chart’s final column is a familiar convention, not a standard.
Size Questions, Answered
What size is a queen quilt?
A queen quilt is conventionally about 90 × 100 in, while the formula gives the mattress, 60 × 80 in, plus your drop and pillow tuck, which comes to 84 × 102 in at a 12 in drop. Make the formula’s number, since the quilt has to fit your own bed.
How much should a quilt hang over the bed?
A quilt should hang ten to fourteen inches over the bed to cover the side of the mattress, or sixteen to twenty inches to reach toward the box spring like a coverlet. Eight inches gives the shorter look of a comforter, so measure your own bed’s side once rather than guessing.
What size is a throw or baby quilt?
A throw quilt is usually about 50 × 65 in, give or take, whereas a baby quilt runs about 36 × 52 in to match a crib. Neither one needs a drop, because they are sized to people rather than to mattresses.
Is it normal for a quilt to come out smaller than planned?
Yes, it is normal for a quilt to come out a little smaller than planned, because quilting draws the top in by 1 to 3%, and the first wash adds some crinkle on top of that. Plan an inch or two over, and measure the quilt before binding when the drop needs to come out exactly right.