Exact sizing help
 

We have a travel trailer with a non-standard bed size (60x74 – an almost queen). I want to make a quilt that just fits the top with the main piecing, has a 12" drop, ad a 6" pillow tuck (finished size 84x92). It really needs exact sizing because I need to "box" the outside corners (the bed raises up for storage, and the box corners keep the bedspread from getting caught when we lower the bed). I intend on using a wool batting, and I would prefer using a jelly strip to cutting the strips from yardage. It will be fairly lightly machine quilted, maybe every 3-4 inches to keep it soft. How do I account for the shrinkage from quilting and from washing? I have never made a quilt to precise measurements! I know the batting generally shrinks 3-4%. Can I just make the quilt that much bigger (88x94.5)? I could make it even bigger than that (2 or so more inches in a border), quilt, serge the edges to keep everything neat, then wash it. If it was too big, I could trim before applying the binding. I know how to box the corners, and I do intend on doing that after the firstwashing (thank goodness for sergers!).

Sigh. Making the quilt will be fairly easy, but getting the measurements right is driving me nuts (and I’m very good at math!).

Pam

I think the too big & serged would probably be OK. You could also machine sew a binding with a long stitch length, then remove it. This way the binding fabric would also be shrunk. Make sure you take it to a Laundromat and use one of their oversize washers & dryers. Use lots of water!

Thanks PaperPrincess. I will make it oversized, serge the edge after quilting, wash quilt and binding (from yardage), then trim to size and bind. I like to serge the edges of my quilts before binding anyway. It makes a nice, even edge. Now all I have to worry about is the width that matches the bed, and I might just adjust the pattern some to make that a non-issue too.

Pam

You could possibly pre-shrink your batting before putting it all together. Usually it's the batting shrinkage that determines how much the quilt will shrink. Just be sure to have a little bit of wiggle room for the quilt shrinking up from quilting as well.