The plan of setting together determines the size and shape of your finished quilt. However, this may be decided by your wishes in the matter with a little careful planning each time. By changing the position of blocks from parallel to diagonal with the edge, the measurement of blocks varies about one third. Borders are such a potent factor both in adding size and beauty that we are devoting a chapter to them.
For a full bed quilt you will want it not less than 72 inches wide and perhaps never more than 90 inches wide even for a spread. However, many of the old-time quilts used on high four-posters measured full three yards square, but they had to master several feather beds and hide a trundle bed by day beside! Seventy- two is too short for the length of a quilt; even for a closed foot bed it should be a foot longer and for an open foot bed 90 inches is a favorite length. Where one wants a handsome quilt to serve as a top coverlet as we do these days, 99 or even 108 inches is preferred by many. So your blocks whether they be 6 inches square or 18 inches square may be arranged to fit somewhere into this sliding scale.
Size is a matter of taste again. One woman writes that she doesn’t want a stingy little quilt that you can see her bed springs under. She had completed a pair of twin spreads in beautychine, and much to her disgust, they were undersize. So we made matched flounces of satine, corded them on at the top and bound their scallops at the bottom which gave both generous size and an air of distinction. Another woman with different taste complains, “My blocks are set together and it looks more like a barn door than a quilt!” From this huge top we subtracted enough blocks to make a pair of boudoir box edge pillows for the head of the bed, and padded tie-on cushions for the bedroom rocker and dressing table chair. You see there is always a remedy, no matter how grievous the wail.
For twin beds 68 inches is a minimum width, although they could be as narrow as 63 for inner quilts where they are for warmth only and not for a top covering. Seventy-two inches is lovely width on a twin size and of course lengths are the same as for wider beds.