Reference Chart
Quilt Batting Sizes Chart
Packaged batting comes in six standard sizes — Crib 45×60″, Twin 72×90″, Full 81×96″, Queen 90×108″, King 120×120″, plus small Craft cuts. The catch: because batting needs 4″ of margin on every side, the package named after your quilt size is usually one size too small.
Standard Packaged Batting Sizes
| Package | Size | Actually fits |
|---|---|---|
| Craft | 34–36 × 45" | Wall hangings, minis, table runners |
| Crib | 45 × 60" | Baby quilts up to ~37×52" finished |
| Twin | 72 × 90" | Throws, lap quilts, small twins |
| Full / Double | 81 × 96" | Twin and full-size quilts |
| Queen | 90 × 108" | Full and smaller queen quilts |
| King | 120 × 120" | Queen, king, and most Cal king quilts |
Exact dimensions vary an inch or two between brands — check the bag. Batting by the yard comes on bolts 45", 90", 96", 108", 120", 124" wide.
What Batting to Buy for Each Quilt Size
Batting should be at least 4″ larger than your quilt top on every side. This table starts from each standard quilt size, adds that margin, and names the smallest package that actually covers it:
| Quilt size | Quilt top | Batting needed | Package to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throw / Lap | 60″ × 72″ | 68″ × 80″ | Twin (72×90") |
| Lap | 50″ × 65″ | 58″ × 73″ | Twin (72×90") |
| Baby / Crib | 40″ × 52″ | 48″ × 60″ | Twin (72×90") |
| Toddler | 42″ × 58″ | 50″ × 66″ | Twin (72×90") |
| Twin | 66″ × 88″ | 74″ × 96″ | Full (81×96") |
| Full / Double | 80″ × 96″ | 88″ × 104″ | Queen (90×108") |
| Queen | 90″ × 108″ | 98″ × 116″ | King (120×120") |
| King | 108″ × 108″ | 116″ × 116″ | King (120×120") |
| California King | 104″ × 114″ | 112″ × 122″ | By the yard (124" wide) or pieced |
| Wall Hanging | 36″ × 36″ | 44″ × 44″ | Crib (45×60") |
Sending your quilt to a longarm quilter? Ask for their margin spec first — most want 4–5″ per side of batting and backing beyond the top. The batting calculator does the by-the-yard math for any custom size.
Batting Types at a Glance
Flat, breathable, crinkles beautifully after washing. The traditional look. Heavier than poly.
Mostly-cotton behavior with a little loft and strength from poly — the most popular all-around choice for machine quilting.
Lofty, light, budget-friendly, doesn't shrink. More puff, less drape; the usual pick for tied quilts.
The loftiest natural option — warm, very light, springs back from folding. Shows hand and machine quilting texture beautifully.
Soft drape and breathability, similar handling to cotton. Often blended with cotton.
Fusible batting bastes the sandwich without pins; black batting suits dark quilts; heat-resistant batting is for potholders only — never in a bed quilt.
Every batting prints a maximum quilting distance on its package — how far apart your quilting lines can be before the batting can shift or bunch. Check it before you settle on a quilting design.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What size batting do I need for a queen quilt?
A 90×108-inch queen quilt needs batting at least 98×116 inches — 4 extra inches on every side. A packaged "Queen" batting (90×108") is exactly quilt-size and leaves no overhang, so buy the King package (120×120") or 3¼ yards of 124-inch-wide batting by the yard.
Why is the batting package named after my quilt size too small?
Package names describe the bed size, not your quilt plus working margin. You need batting 4 inches bigger than the quilt top on every side (8 inches total each direction) because the layers shift during quilting. That margin usually pushes you one package size up: twin quilts need Full batting, queen quilts need King batting.
How much bigger than the quilt top should batting be?
At least 4 inches on every side for home machine quilting or hand quilting — 8 inches total added to width and length. Longarm quilters usually ask for 4–5 inches per side of batting and backing so there's margin to load and clamp the quilt; check your quilter's specs before trimming.
What widths does batting by the yard come in?
Common bolt widths are 45, 90, 96, 108, 120, and 124 inches. Buying by the yard often wastes less than a packaged size — a 68×80-inch throw batting is one 2-yard cut from a 90-inch bolt with a clean leftover strip for smaller projects.
What is the difference between cotton, polyester, and 80/20 batting?
Cotton is flat, breathable, and gives the crinkly traditional look after washing. Polyester is loftier, lighter, and less expensive, with more puff. An 80/20 cotton/poly blend is the most popular middle ground — mostly cotton behavior with a little loft and strength. Wool is the loftiest natural option and very light; bamboo blends drape softly. Every type prints a maximum quilting distance on the package — check it before choosing your quilting design.
Can I piece leftover batting scraps together?
Yes. Butt two straight edges together (no overlap) and join them with a wide zigzag, a fusible batting seam tape, or hand whipstitch. Keep the joint away from the quilt's center if you can, and use scraps of the same type and loft so the joined area quilts up evenly.
Batting Starts With the Quilt Size
- Throw / Lap60″ × 72″
- Lap50″ × 65″
- Baby / Crib40″ × 52″
- Toddler42″ × 58″
- Twin66″ × 88″
- Full / Double80″ × 96″
- Queen90″ × 108″
- King108″ × 108″
- California King104″ × 114″
- Wall Hanging36″ × 36″
Dimensions, bed fit, batting, and backing math for every size on the quilt sizes chart.