Learn what size is a baby quilt and download our handy baby size chart for quilts for newborns, babies, and toddlers.
We all love a good baby quilt. It’s a quick rewarding make and it’s such a great gift to give a newborn – your own or someone else’s. Because hey, you can’t keep making babies, but you can keep making baby quilts!
When speaking of baby quilts, the question that seems to come up the most is What is the best size for a baby quilt?
So we thought we’d take the time and break things down for you. Because it’s true, any quilt can be a baby quilt. But there are some standard size baby quilt dimensions that might help you plan your next baby project and choose a baby quilt pattern. We’re also including a handy baby quilt size chart, so you’ll have all the information at hand when needed.
Safety note: Experts recommend bare cribs without any quilts or blankets to ensure infant safety. Babies should only sleep with quilts under adult supervision!
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Baby Quilt Size Chart
The title of this article promises a baby quilt size chart, so here it is.
As you’ll see in a bit, all these sizes are just approximate.
I always say to go with the dimension that you want to make (be it because there’s a pattern in a specific size that you like or because you only have so much fabric). I’m sure the recipient will appreciate it no matter the size. Babies are a grateful bunch!
Nevertheless, here is our baby quilt size chart. Simply sign up for our newsletter and you’ll get the free printable PDF right in your inbox.
Baby Quilt Size Explained
So, what is the best size for a baby quilt? As you’ve probably guessed yourself, there’s not really a standard baby quilt size.
That’s because the baby quilt measurement will depend on how the quilt is intended to be used, how old the child is, etc.
If you’re designing a baby quilt on your own and are looking for a reference point for the finished size, make sure you keep in mind not only how many quilt blocks you need (if using blocks), but also if you’re going to add sashing and/or borders. You’ll need to figure out sashing and calculate borders to get the required quilt size in the end. So just keep all of this in mind.
In general, baby quilt dimensions can be grouped into 4 standard-ish categories. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
Preemie / Newborn Baby Quilt Size
If you’re making a baby quilt for a newborn, you might want to stay on the smaller side. This would be a quilt dimension of about 30’’ x 30’’.
Of course, you don’t have to make a square quilt, you can easily adjust this dimension to a rectangular quilt. A great example of a rectangular small baby quilt is our (free!) Flying Gosling quilt pattern. This one comes out at about 28’’ x 32’’.
In my opinion, this little baby blanket size is perfect for newborn babies, but also as a stroller blanket later on. I used the Flying Gosling blanket with my baby long after he was born, when we were out and about – either in the stroller or the car seat. And we actually still use it now as a light blanket and he’s almost 18 months now. So if you’re wondering whether it’s a waste to make such a small blanket, I think you can actually get so much use of it for a long time!
If you’re making a preemie baby blanket, I’d also recommend going with these smaller dimensions. I think parents will appreciate having something that’s perfectly sized for their little precious baby.
Small Baby Quilt Size
Perhaps the most popular dimension for a baby quilt is something around 30’’ x 40’’, or 40’’ x 40’’, if making a square quilt.
This size quilt will grow with the baby a bit longer. So if you’re worried about making a quilt that will only be used for a short while, you might want to opt for a 40’’ x 40’’ quilt.
At this dimension, the quilt can be used not only as a blanket but also as a playmat quilt. So it can be used for tummy time or just hanging around on the floor (because that’s what babies do!).
And what gets us quilters excited about this size is that it doesn’t require you to piece the quilt backing. The standard width of quilting cotton is 42’’, which means that you will be able to use a single piece of backing fabric. This can save some precious time when you’re rushing to make that baby shower gift!
A great simple example of a small baby quilt you can make is this Patchwork Quilt with Squares, which comes out just at 32’’ x 41’’. And for a square baby quilt, check out our Mirror Maze pattern, which is 42’’ x 42’’. It’s gorgeous as a baby quilt!
Crib Quilt Size
This is probably the most standard of all the baby quilt dimensions. Not because it would be the best baby quilt size but because it’s designed to fit a standard crib mattress.
The size of a crib mattress is about 28’’ x 52’’, so for a quilt to fit into the crib nicely, it should be about 36’’ x 52’’.
Of course, even here nothing is set in stone. You can absolutely adjust these measurements. For my kids, I’ve made crib mattresses that were about 40’’ x 48’’, which allowed me to tuck them nicely under the crib mattress on the sides.
That’s the size of the Deep Diving crib version (pictured above). I made this for my older son and it worked perfectly as a crib quilt (and still gets a lot of use to this day).
Toddler Quilt Size
I don’t know if toddlers are still considered babies (I’m guessing not?). But I know many of you are looking for standard toddler quilt sizes.
There is no specific quilt size for toddlers, so I would say anything between a lap and a throw quilt would work great.
This means the dimensions for a toddler quilt would be about 40-60’’ for the width and 50-70’’ for the length.
Again, things are very adjustable here. I know (at least my) toddlers will use their quilts in many many ways other than sleeping (yup, I’m talking about quilt forts). So I suggest you choose a pattern that you like and find a dimension that fits into this range.
How many squares for a baby-size quilt?
Another thing that seems to come up a lot in regard to baby quilt sizes is how many fabric squares you need to make one.
I totally get why. A simple patchwork quilt from squares can be a really beautiful gift but is also such a quick make. We have some great layout ideas in this article, where we explain step by step how to make a baby size quilt from squares.
In the tutorial we use 5’’ squares to make a 32’’ x 41’’ finished baby quilt.
But of course, you can use any size squares you like. The dimensions of your starting squares and the desired dimension of the finished quilt are what will ultimately tell you how many squares you need.
How to calculate the number of squares for a baby quilt?
In general, this is how you would calculate the number of squares required.
I’ll explain using the example of making a 30 x 40’’ baby quilt using 4 ½’’ starting squares.
- Subtract the seam allowance to get the finished size of your squares. If using the standard ¼’’ seam allowance on each side, you need to subtract ½’’ from your starting squares to get the finished size of squares.
4 ½’’ – ½’’ = 4‘’ - Divide the desired finished quilt width by the dimension of the finished squares (round up, if needed) = number of squares in a row.
30’’ ÷’ 4’’ = 7,5 – round up to 8 squares in a row - Divide the desired finished length by the desired dimensions of the starting squares = number of squares in a column.
40’ ÷’ 4’’ = 10 squares in a column - Multiply the number of squares in a row by the number of squares in a column = total number of required squares.
8 x 10 squares = 80 squares total
In our example, you will need 80 squares measuring 4 ½’’ x 4 ½’’ (unfinished) to make a baby quilt top measuring 32’’ x 40’’. The width is a bit larger than planned – that’s because we had to round up the number of squares in a row.
How many 5×5 squares do I need for a baby quilt?
Very often, baby quilts are made using 5×5’’ starting squares. That’s probably because the round number makes calculations a bit easier. But also because 5 x 5’’ is the size of precut fabric squares, most commonly known as charm packs.
Using 5’’ precut squares can really speed up the process, so it’s a great choice for a last minute baby shower gift.
Since this is one of the most common sizes of starting squares, I thought I’d do the calculation for you for the different standard baby quilt sizes.
Here is how many 5×5 squares you need for a baby quilt, depending on the finished baby quilt size:
| No. of squares in a column | No. of squares in a row | TOTAL number of squares | Finished quilt size |
| 7 | 7 | 49 | 31,5” x 31,5” |
| 7 | 9 | 63 | 31,5” x 40,5” |
| 9 | 9 | 81 | 40,5” x 40,5” |
| 8 | 12 | 96 | 36” x 54” |
| 9 | 11 | 99 | 40,5” x 49,5” |
Baby Quilt Size Conclusion
I think we covered pretty much everything about baby quilt sizes. If you’re wondering about other (larger) standard quilt sizes, remember to check our printable quilt size chart, where we cover AAAAAAALLLLLLLLL quilt sizes, from baby to king.
And if all his baby (quilt size) talk has got you excited to make a baby quilt, let me just remind you that we have a very popular baby quilt article here on the blog: 50+ Quilt Patterns for Babies.
We share not only some great patterns for baby girl and baby boy quilts (some of which are free!) but also some great tips to use when making baby quilts.
Happy quilting!
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