With the holidays approaching, a handmade quilt is one of those gifts that never seems to lose its charm. Whether you're making a baby quilt, something cozy for the couch, or a quilt large enough for a bed, figuring out the dimensions and how much fabric you'll need can be one of the less entertaining parts of the process.
I've put together a free Holiday Quilt Planning Guide with common quilt sizes, block counts for several finished block sizes, and estimates for backing, batting, and binding. There's also a worksheet to help you calculate fabric requirements when making a quilt from simple squares.
One important thing to remember: quilt sizes are guidelines, not universal standards. Mattresses vary in depth, quilts vary in drape, and the amount of fabric required for a quilt top depends on the pattern, block construction, sashing, borders, and cutting method. The guide explains the assumptions behind its calculations, but you should always check your measurements and chosen pattern before purchasing or cutting fabric.
A Little Money-Saving Tip for Quilt Backing
More often than not, I skip traditional quilt backing fabric altogether. Instead, I buy a coordinating cotton or flannel flat bedsheet. It's often considerably less expensive, comes in generous sizes, and eliminates the need to piece together several lengths of fabric just to make the backing.
I rarely buy dedicated quilt backing fabric unless I'm working on something particularly special or have a specific fabric in mind.
There are a few things worth checking before using a sheet. I prefer cotton or flannel, and I pay attention to the fabric quality and weave. Some tightly woven sheets can be more difficult to quilt, particularly by hand. I also recommend washing and drying the sheet before cutting, especially when combining fabrics that may shrink differently.
The dimensions printed on a sheet package aren't necessarily the usable dimensions after washing and removing the hems. You also need to allow enough extra fabric around the quilt top for quilting. And if you're sending your quilt to a longarm quilter, check whether they accept bedsheet backing before buying one.
But when I'm making several quilts for Christmas, a good coordinating flat sheet can save money, cutting, and a fair amount of unnecessary aggravation.
I'll happily reserve the fancy backing fabric for another day.
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And Then There's My Favorite Shortcut: Rag Quilts
If you're like me sometimes, with a dozen things to accomplish and absolutely no desire to spend hours cutting and piecing, make a rag quilt!
I love making mine with layer cakes. My favorite method uses 64 blocks, each made from two 10-inch fabric squares with a 10-inch flannel square sandwiched between them.
I usually start with three layer cakes and some basic cream or white flannel. Three standard 42-piece layer cakes give me 126 outer squares, so I add two coordinating squares from my stash to get the 128 I need. I also cut 64 squares of flannel for the middle layers.
I sandwich each flannel square between two layer cake squares, sew diagonally through the layers to secure them, and begin assembling the blocks. The seam allowances face the front of the quilt, where they'll eventually become those wonderful soft, shaggy edges.
I prefer flannel all around, and Flannel Gatherings by Moda is absolutely wonderful for this. It's soft, cozy, and makes a beautiful rag quilt. Occasionally, I'll mix in some cotton prints if I'm feeling spicy. Apparently, that's what passes for living dangerously around here. 🤣
With an 8-by-8 arrangement of 10-inch squares and half-inch seam allowances, the quilt measures approximately 72 inches square before washing and any additional shrinkage. That's a generous throw, perfect for curling up on the couch.
There are a few practical details worth mentioning. Flannel can shrink, so consider prewashing your fabric, particularly when combining different fabric types. Clip the exposed seam allowances carefully without cutting through the stitching, and use a short enough clipping interval to encourage the edges to fray. After washing and drying, check the seams and remove loose threads. A mesh laundry bag or other lint-management precautions can help contain the considerable amount of lint created during the first wash; be sure to clean your dryer's lint filter.
Rag quilts also don't require the traditional quilt sandwich, separate backing, and binding used in many conventional quilts. Everything is built into the individual blocks.
The layer cakes eliminate much of the cutting, the construction is straightforward, and the result is something cozy and personal. You still have to sandwich, sew, clip, and wash everything, but it's a wonderfully approachable alternative when you don't have time for a complicated pieced quilt.
And there's plenty of room to make it your own. I've made rag quilts with simple squares, featured fabric panels, and combinations of prints chosen especially for the people receiving them. Sometimes the simplest approach leaves the most room for personality.
Next thing you know, you've made a beautiful handmade gift without spending the better part of your week at the cutting table.
Sometimes I want to spend weeks exploring a complicated quilt pattern. Other times, I want to make something special for someone I love without turning it into a major production.
There's room for both kinds of quilting.
And whether you're planning an elaborate bed quilt or looking for a manageable handmade Christmas gift, I hope the free Holiday Quilt Planning Guide makes the process a little easier.
