Small Throw Blankets: Lap Throw Sizes, Uses and Fabrics

A small throw blanket is a throw cut smaller than the standard 50 by 60 inches. Casper lists a small throw at about 40 by 50 inches and a lapghan, or lap blanket, at about 36 by 48 inches. A small throw covers your legs in a chair or your shoulders at a desk, and folds small enough to carry.

How big is a small throw blanket?

A small throw blanket has no single size, but makers’ charts put it well below a standard throw. Casper lists a lapghan at about 36 by 48 inches, a small throw at about 40 by 50 inches and a standard throw at about 50 by 60 inches. Pendleton sells its smallest wool blankets, the crib or muchacho size, at 32 by 44 inches, and cotton ones at 30 by 40 inches.

Names drift between brands. One maker’s “small throw” can be another’s “baby blanket,” so read the inches rather than the label.

Where a small lap throw works best

A small lap throw works best where a full throw would get in the way. In an armchair, a lap blanket covers your knees and feet without spilling onto the floor. At a desk, it sits over your lap or around your shoulders while you type. In a car or at an outdoor game, it folds small enough for a tote bag.

Pendleton’s motor robe shows the idea at a larger size: at 54 by 66 inches with a leather carrier, it is sold for picnics and football games. For full coverage on a sofa, a small throw falls short. Casper notes that throws are not made to cover your whole body for sleep, and the smaller sizes cover even less.

Fabrics for small fleece and knit throws

Fabric matters as much on a small throw as on a large one, but a small one is easier to wash and quicker to dry. Our guide to sherpa, fleece and faux fur compares the soft fabrics side by side.

A small fleece blanket is the lightest choice to carry. Polartec says it made the first polar fleece in 1981 as a lighter, warmer alternative to wool. A sherpa or plush lap throw is thicker and softer for a chair, and a minky blanket has the smoothest, silkiest pile. A wool or chunky knit lap throw adds texture to a reading corner; our wool and knit throws guide covers those.

Care follows the label. Berkshire says to wash its plush throws cold on a gentle cycle, on their own, and to line dry or tumble with no heat.

Small electric throw blankets

A small electric throw blanket is a heated throw sized for one person, and many are closer to a standard throw than a lap blanket. Berkshire’s heated throw, model HLT1-GJT-F, measures 50 by 60 inches and is rated at 110 W, with four heat settings and an automatic shut-off 4 hours after it is turned on.

Check the size, the auto-off time and the washing rules on any heated throw before you buy. Our guide to whether heated throws and electric blankets are safe covers who should skip one, and our heated blanket guide compares throws with full-size blankets.

Small throw or a bigger blanket?

A small throw suits one seated person. For two people on a sofa, or a tall person who wants to stretch out, an oversized throw blanket of about 70 by 80 inches covers far more. Our throw blanket buying guide compares every throw type, and our blankets and throws section lists every guide.