Annaquilts

My daughter is marrying a marine this spring and they would love a patriotic quilt.

I do not have it in me to start one from scratch but have a top with a border, 76 x 76 that I plan to add a tone on tone dark blue border too but how big a border? How big a finnished quilt?

What size do I need for a Cal King quilt? I read several options from 120 x 120 to 100 x100 or longer one way then the other, 114 x 120. What is the smallest I can get away with.

Other dilema. Extra wide backing seems to come only up to 108 inches wide. Are there wider backings or should I piece three pieces of regular fabric together?

I have done several of the options and not used extra wide backing but I would love to this time because of time considerations.

Anna, frazzeled in Socal

Iceblossom

Will you be quilting this yourself? Otherwise, ask the person who will be quilting. If you have a 10 foot frame then 108 is about what I'd max out at width wise, and that's what I always consider king size -- 3 yards square.

For making it smaller, matching pillow shams can cover a bit of open space

We had a recent thread about extra wide backs, you might check out some of the sources here:
search for wide backing

selm

Here's some info I came across and put in a word document:
Batting and Mattress Sizes

Below are the common sizes of quilting batting made by most manufacturers. Keep this handy reference when purchasing batting for your quilt.

Batting Sizes
King -- 120 x 120
Queen -- 90 x 108
Full -- 84 x 96
Twin -- 72 x 90
Baby -- 45 x 60
Craft -- 34 x 45

Below are common sizes of mattress. The measurements are of the top of the mattress. The thickness of the mattress can vary so the size of the quilt will need to compensate for the thickness of the mattress.

Be sure to add the mattress measurement plus the "drop" on both sides to compensate for the thickness of the mattress.

Mattress Sizes
Twin -- 39 x 75
Long Twin -- 39 x 80
Full -- 54 x 75
Long Full -- 54 x 80
Queen -- 60 x 80
King -- 76 x 80
California King -- 72 x 84

Instead of one border that may have to be very wide(not sure how that would look) how about 2-3 borders?

As to how small you can get away with, it depends if you want overhang or not. Any overhang is a good thing but I've had occasion to use a quilt that just fit the top of the mattress. Not ideal but this was over another quilt that did overhang (top one was for extra warm). So looking at the Cal. King mattress size you can make the quilt somewhere between this size and the size of the batting - don't forget you need excess batting on all sides.
FYI - on King size beds the longer measurement is the width of the bed. This is important to know if you use directional fabric.

dunster

I would start out by asking the daughter about the bed. Does it have a footboard (so less overhang at the feet is necessary), does she want a pillow tuck, how thick are the mattress and box springs, and does she want the quilt to cover them? I understand the desire to finish this in time for the wedding, but the new couple would probably be happier to receive a quilt that's appropriately sized but delivered after the wedding. You might even have time to make another top that doesn't require such large borders, and you could enjoy the process of making the quilt instead of feeling flustered and pressed for time.

Tiggersmom

If she used a pleated box ruffle it would look masculine and the actual quilt would not have to come to the floor, making the actual quilt smaller. But also consider how thick the mattress are etc. Good luck.

quiltingshorttimer

sounds like a huge quilt! You can find wideback that is 120" wide, check Marshall's Dry Goods.

juliasb

When my DH and I first met he had a Calif. King. So I made his first quilt 120x120". He wanted the overhang I have made a number of quilts for our bed since we married but we changed to a regular size King and I now make the length longer and the side narrower. Just so I know what direction the quilt is to go on the bed.. It has been a number of years now since I made a king size quilt but it looks like I am going to venture in that direction one more time and with a wham of a quilt that I will hand quilt. I hope to have it finished before I die! More on that later. Keep in mind the weight of a King size quilt too. I find I kick off the king size more often because they are that much warmer when sleeping. Just have fun and don't let the size overwhelm you. The finished quilt will be worth all your efforts. I love the idea of a patriotic quilt and I am sure you will accomplish your goal.

SusieQOH

I made a King for our bed but it's a regular King, not a California. I made it about 110 x 110. Plenty of overhang but
not too much so. I take it to the laundromat to wash though. That thing is big!

Tartan

I think rather then adding to a top to make it big enough, I would find a simple block in a large size and make it in patriotic colours. I might look through Bonnie Hunter’s Quiltville free patterns and do something like Maverick Stars only bigger or Ohio Stars.

toverly

Just a thought, tell her you can make one but it will be too heavy to wash. I have made a king size for our bed, it's extremely heavy and cumbersome. Even though I used thermore batting. I don't use it except to make up the bed when company comes. I would suggest using a normal solid color bedspread and making a bed scarf and pillow shams.