How big to make a blanket?

[LollipopViolet]

Right, friend is expecting a baby, and I'd like to make her a patchwork blanket that baby can use for a fair while. I've seen fabric bundles already cut into squares, and I've done a bit of patchwork sewing before, have also seen instructions online so know what I'm doing there.

What I don't know is how big to make the blanket. I've got another friend with an 11mo and would quite like to make her one too, while I'm at it.

Any ideas on sizes?

I think most babies tend to sleep in sleeping bags now so the blanket would most likely be used as a playmat initially and then perhaps put on bed once child is a toddler. So a size to fit a cotbed/junior bed or single maybe?

DD1 is 2 and I'm currently making her a patchwork quilt for her new room and to use for naps (she seems to like napping on the floor!), it is from a jelly roll book so neither of the sizes suggested above, think it is ending up around 1.5m square. Finished the quilt top today in between feeding DD2.

Any size at all (honest). About half size of a single duvet would be handy until age 5.

Thank you so much! That's really useful to know - the fabrics I've seen are quite plain in that they're not kiddie designs, more florals and solids.

I think I may just do single bed size, then it's something to keep forever and mum-to-be can steal it if she likes it :)

Hmm, might take a while haha!

I've never managed to make a PW Quilt as large as single bed size, I don't think my sewing machine is suited to larger items. Good luck, whatever you do!

The newborn I look after often lies on his and we use it to cover him up in his cot when napping (tucked at the sides) 18 month old uses hers in the pushchair when napping. Prefer having a small blanket 50x50 80x80 size