In Kenya we buy beds by the foot: a 4 by 6, a 5 by 6, a 6 by 6. Quilt patterns, almost all written in America, talk about twin, queen and king. This guide translates.
Below are finished quilt sizes for the common Kenyan bed sizes, with exactly how much backing, batting and binding to buy, worked out for our 112 cm quilting cotton, our 274 cm wide backing and our three battings.
How the sizes are worked out
A bed quilt should cover the mattress and hang over the sides. We have allowed a 25 cm drop on each side and at the foot, plus 25 cm to tuck under the pillows. Mattresses vary, so measure yours: if it is deep, or you want the quilt to reach the floor, add to the drop.
Measure first
Measure the mattress width, length and depth. Quilt width = mattress width + twice the drop. Quilt length = mattress length + drop at the foot + pillow tuck.
Finished quilt sizes
| Bed or use | Mattress | Finished quilt |
|---|---|---|
| Baby or cot | 90 x 120 cm | |
| Sofa throw | 130 x 160 cm | |
| 3 by 6 | 91 x 183 cm | 141 x 233 cm |
| 3½ by 6 | 107 x 183 cm | 157 x 233 cm |
| 4 by 6 | 122 x 183 cm | 172 x 233 cm |
| 5 by 6 | 152 x 183 cm | 202 x 233 cm |
| 6 by 6 | 183 x 183 cm | 233 x 233 cm |
How much fabric to buy
The backing needs to be about 10 cm bigger than the top on every side, because the layers shift a little while you quilt. Wide backing is 274 cm wide, so on most quilts it goes on in one piece. Standard 112 cm cotton has to be joined from two or three widths.
| Quilt | Wide backing (274 cm) | Or standard backing (112 cm) | Binding | Top, simple squares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby | 1.5 m | 1.5 m* | 0.5 m | About 1.5 m or 7 fat quarters |
| Sofa throw | 1.5 m | 3 m | 0.5 m | About 3 m |
| 3 by 6 | 2 m | 5 m | 1 m | About 4 m |
| 3½ by 6 | 2 m | 5.5 m | 1 m | About 4.5 m |
| 4 by 6 | 2 m | 5.5 m | 1 m | About 5 m |
| 5 by 6 | 2.5 m | 7 m | 1 m | About 6 m |
| 6 by 6 | 3 m | 8 m | 1 m | About 7 m |
* For the baby quilt, a single width of 112 cm cotton works if you keep the extra to 5 cm on each side.
Binding is based on 2½ inch (6.5 cm) strips cut across the fabric. The top figure is a guide for a quilt of simple squares, allowing for seams; patterns with many small pieces or triangles need more, and a pattern will always give you its own quantities.
Why wide backing makes sense
On a bed quilt, wide backing saves both seams and money. For a 4 by 6 quilt you need 2 m of wide backing at KES 1,400 a half metre, which is KES 5,600, against 5.5 m of standard cotton: KES 8,800 even in Kona solids, and with two long seams to sew and line up.
No seam down the middle
Wide Quilt Backing, 274 cm
KES 1,400 a half metre
Extra-wide 100% cotton from Robert Kaufman, in Kona Wide solids or the soft cross-weave of Chalk and Charcoal Wide. Twenty-two shades, from white and ivory to black, red and royal blue.
274 cm wide · About 146 gsm · Sold by the half metre
See wide backingHow much batting to buy
Cut the batting to the same size as the backing. Our battings are sold by the whole metre in three widths, so the amount depends on which you choose.
| Quilt | Stitch It 80/20 (300 cm) | Bosal cotton (244 cm) or Vilene 80/20 (246 cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Baby | 1 m | 1 m |
| Sofa throw | 2 m | 2 m |
| 3 by 6 | 2 m | 3 m |
| 3½ by 6 | 2 m | 3 m |
| 4 by 6 | 2 m | 3 m |
| 5 by 6 | 3 m | 3 m |
| 6 by 6 | 3 m | Not wide enough in one piece |
Stitch It is wide enough to go across a single bed quilt, so it often needs a metre less. Which batting to choose? Stitch It 80/20 is the easy all-rounder, Bosal Katahdin is 100% cotton for a flat, traditional finish, and Vilene Super Soft is the lightest, good for quilts used on warmer nights.
Joining standard backing
Cut the fabric into equal lengths and trim off the selvedges, which are tightly woven and pucker.
Sew the lengths together with a 1.5 cm seam and press it open, so it lies flat.
Centre the seam behind the quilt, or offset it deliberately so it looks planned.
New to quilting? Start with our beginner's guide, which walks through a first baby quilt.
Tell us your bed size
Send us your mattress measurements and your design and we will work out every metre, at our shop at Muthaiga Mini Market or on WhatsApp.
Shop quilting fabricOr message us on 0798 316 860
Kenyan mattress sizes are nominal feet; actual sizes vary by maker. Prices correct at the time of writing.
