A quilt labelled "queen" doesn't always fit a queen bed the way you expect. Size names describe the mattress a quilt is meant for, but quilt makers decide for themselves how far it should hang over the sides, so two queen quilts can differ by several inches. The way to choose well is to start from your own bed: measure it, decide how you want the quilt to sit, and compare that with the quilt's actual dimensions.
Start with the mattress
In Canada and the United States, mattress sizes are well standardized. These are the usual dimensions, width by length:
| Mattress | Inches | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38 × 75 | 97 × 191 |
| Twin XL | 38 × 80 | 97 × 203 |
| Full (double) | 54 × 75 | 137 × 191 |
| Queen | 60 × 80 | 152 × 203 |
| King | 76 × 80 | 193 × 203 |
| California king | 72 × 84 | 183 × 213 |
Still, measure your own mattress. Manufacturers round differently, and a mattress topper adds height that changes how far a quilt hangs.
You also need the depth: the height of the mattress, plus any topper, measured from its top surface down to the bottom edge of its side. Mattresses vary far more in depth than in width or length, from thin foam to deep pillow-tops.
Decide how you want it to hang
The "drop" is how far a quilt hangs down each side of the bed. There are three common choices:
- To the edge of the mattress. A drop equal to the mattress depth. The quilt covers the top and sides, and the box spring or bed frame shows below. Tidy, and a good choice with a bed skirt.
- Past the mattress. A few inches more than the mattress depth, covering part of the box spring. This is the most common look.
- To the floor. A drop equal to the full height from the top of the mattress to the floor. Used as a bedspread, often on beds without a footboard.
Also decide what happens at the head of the bed. Some people fold the quilt back below the pillows; others tuck it under and over them, which needs extra length.
Work out the size you need
Use the mattress dimensions and your chosen drop:
- Width = mattress width + (2 × drop)
- Length = mattress length + drop at the foot (+ extra for a pillow tuck, if you want one)
For a pillow tuck, allow about the depth of your pillows again; measure them to be sure. For a bed with a footboard, the quilt can't hang at the foot, so use the mattress length alone, plus any pillow tuck.
Two worked examples
Queen, 12-inch drop, folded below the pillows. Width = 60 + (2 × 12) = 84 in (213 cm). Length = 80 + 12 = 92 in (234 cm).
Twin, 10-inch drop, footboard, no pillow tuck. Width = 38 + (2 × 10) = 58 in (147 cm). Length = 75 in (191 cm).
A quilt a few inches larger or smaller than your result will usually look fine. One that's much narrower will expose the sheets at the sides, and one much larger will pool on the floor.
Read the listing's measurements
When you shop, compare your numbers with the quilt's own dimensions rather than its size name. If a listing gives only a size name, ask for the measurements through the Contact page before you order.
Keep in mind:
- Cotton quilts can shrink slightly in the first wash, especially if they weren't pre-washed. Some makers wash them before sale, partly for the soft, crinkled texture it gives. If a quilt sits right at the minimum size you need, size up.
- Hand-quilted and patchwork pieces vary slightly in size from one to the next, and their edges may not be perfectly straight. That's part of how they're made.
- Thicker quilts drape less. A heavily padded quilt stands away from the mattress at the sides, so it looks shorter than a thin one of the same size.
Throws, layering and using a size up
A quilt doesn't have to cover the whole bed. A smaller quilt or a throw laid across the foot adds colour and an extra layer on cold nights without changing what's underneath. Throws are also sized for a sofa or an armchair, so measure the furniture you have in mind.
Going a size up is common: a king quilt on a queen bed gives a deeper drop, more room for two sleepers, and a generous tuck at the pillows. Check first that it won't be so long it drags on the floor.
A quick checklist
- Measure the mattress width, length and depth, topper included.
- Choose a drop: to the mattress edge, past it, or to the floor.
- Width = mattress width + 2 × drop. Length = mattress length + drop at the foot (none with a footboard) + any pillow tuck.
- Compare with the quilt's measurements, not just its size name.
- Allow for a little shrinkage in cotton.
Quilts, throws and patchwork blankets from the marketplace's sellers are in the shop.