Oversized Throw Blankets: Sizes in Inches and What They Fit

An oversized throw blanket is a throw cut larger than the standard size. Casper lists an oversized throw at about 70 by 80 inches, against about 50 by 60 inches for a standard throw. That is big enough to share on a sofa or wrap up in fully, but still smaller than a queen bed blanket.

How big is an oversized throw blanket?

An oversized throw blanket has no fixed size, but makers’ charts give a clear range. Casper lists a standard throw at about 50 by 60 inches and an oversized throw at about 70 by 80 inches. Pendleton sells its throws from 54 by 60 to 54 by 72 inches, sized for reading, watching TV or a nap.

The gap between a throw and a bed blanket is bigger than many shoppers expect. Pendleton lists a twin blanket at 64 by 80 to 84 inches and a queen at 90 by 96 inches.

Makers round and label sizes their own way, so a “large throw blanket” from one brand can be closer to a standard throw from another. Read the inches on the listing, not the name.

What an oversized throw fits on a couch or bed

An oversized throw fits most sofas with room to tuck in. Casper says the standard size works fine for most people on their own; the extra 20 inches each way on an oversized throw is what lets two people share it or one person wrap up fully.

On a bed, a throw works as a layer, not as bedding. Casper notes that throws are not made to cover your whole body for sleep. Pendleton suggests keeping one draped over a chair or on your bed. At about 70 by 80 inches, an oversized throw covers much of a twin bed’s top but falls short of a queen.

To check the fit at home, measure your sofa’s width and the height of whoever will use it, then compare both with the listing. Add a few inches for tucking under feet.

Fabrics for a big cozy blanket

Fabric decides how warm and how heavy a big cozy blanket feels, and an oversized throw has more of it to carry. Our guide to sherpa, fleece and faux fur compares the soft fabrics in detail. A few points matter more at large sizes:

• Fleece keeps a big throw light. Polartec says it made the first polar fleece in 1981 as a lighter, warmer alternative to wool.
• Sherpa and plush throws are thicker and heavier, which suits a huge cozy blanket for the sofa but means more fabric to wash and dry.
• Wool and knit throws give more weight and texture; our wool and knit throws guide covers care.

For warmth with no fabric weight at all, a heated throw is another route. Our heated blanket sizes guide lists what fits a sofa or a bed.

Washing a large throw blanket

Washing a large throw blanket starts with the care label and a big enough washer. Berkshire, a maker of plush throws, says to wash them cold on a gentle cycle, on their own, and to line dry or tumble with no heat. Rumpl tells owners of its sherpa blankets to wash cold and tumble dry low on the gentlest cycle, or hang them. A thick oversized throw can fill a home washer drum, so leave room for it to move, or use a larger machine.

Oversized throw or a different blanket?

An oversized throw suits a shared sofa or a tall person. For a single reader in an armchair, a smaller throw is easier to handle; see our guide to small throw blankets. For weight rather than size, our guide to choosing a weighted blanket explains how heavy to go.

Our throw blanket buying guide compares every throw type, and our blankets and throws section lists every guide.