Size Guide

Last updated: October 29, 2026

Choosing the right size is the difference between a name sign that looks made for the wall and one that looks a little lost, or a blanket that tucks neatly into a stroller and one that drags on the ground. This guide explains how to measure your space and how to compare the sizes listed on each Nest Made product page. The exact dimensions of every piece, and the options available, are always shown on its product page; this guide helps you decide between them. If you are unsure, email a photo and your measurements to support@nestmade.shop and we will help you choose, usually within 24 hours on business days.

What you need

• a tape measure (a soft sewing tape works for blankets);
• painter’s tape or low-tack masking tape;
• a few sheets of paper or an opened-out cardboard box;
• a pencil and your phone camera.

Name signs: how to measure and choose

Step 1: Measure the furniture below

Most name signs hang above a crib, a dresser, a changing table or a reading chair. Measure the width of that piece of furniture from edge to edge and note it down. This number guides everything else, because a sign looks balanced in relation to what sits beneath it rather than to the whole wall.

Step 2: Apply the two-thirds idea

A sign roughly two thirds as wide as the furniture below usually looks settled and intentional. Much narrower, and it can feel like a small island; wider than the furniture, and it can look as though it is floating free. This is a design rule of thumb, not a requirement: a round sign above a narrow crib, or a wide outline sign over a long dresser, can both look lovely.

Step 3: Check the height and the gap

Measure the space between the top of the furniture and the ceiling or any shelf above. Leave comfortable breathing room above and below the sign. Remember that signs must hang securely, out of a child’s reach, and never inside a crib or anywhere they could fall into one.

Step 4: Make a paper template

Choose the size you are considering on the product page, cut paper to those dimensions (tape sheets together if needed) and fix it to the wall with low-tack tape. For a round sign, draw around a large plate or use a string and pencil to mark the circle. Step back to the doorway, look at it in daylight and in evening light, and take a photo. Templates make the decision much easier than numbers alone.

Step 5: Think about the name

Name length changes how a sign reads. Short names, such as “Ada” or “Theo”, sit comfortably on round and compact shapes. Long names or first-and-middle combinations, such as “Juniper Rose” or “Anneliese”, often need a wider format or larger size so the lettering is not set too small. If the product page notes that a smaller size fits a first name only, follow that guidance.

Name cut-out letters: planning the span

With cut-out letters, the name itself is the decoration, so the total width matters most.

1. Check the letter height and approximate name width on the product page for the size you like.
2. Cut a strip of paper to that total width and tape it on the wall where the name will go.
3. For connected script, the strip shows the whole piece. For individual block letters, mark the spacing between letters too; even spacing looks calmest.
4. Look at it from the doorway and from the chair where you feed the baby, since that is where you will see it most.

Individual letters also work along a bookshelf or across a wide dresser, which can be a safer and simpler choice than a wall above a crib.

Birth announcement keepsakes and milestone pieces

These pieces usually sit on a shelf, a dresser or in a memory box, or beside your baby for photos. Before choosing:

• measure the shelf depth and height where it will stand, if it is a standing piece;
• for photos, think about how much of the frame you want it to fill next to a newborn or a sitting baby;
• remember that more details (name, date, time, weight, length) need more space to stay readable, so a design that shows every stat may suit a larger size.

Blankets: choosing by use

Blanket sizes on product pages are given as width by length. The best size depends on how you will use it:

Following widely shared safe-sleep guidance, blankets should be kept out of a sleeping baby’s crib; choose a size for awake, supervised time and decoration.

Knit blankets

Knits can relax and soften after washing, and their exact dimensions can vary slightly from one piece to another. If an exact fit matters, for example over a particular basket for photos, allow a little margin either way and check the care notes on the product page.

Colours and finishes

Colour is part of “fit” too. Screens show colours differently, and natural wood varies in grain and tone. To choose with more confidence, look at the product photos in daylight on more than one screen, compare them with your paint colour or fabric samples, and remember that soft colours such as powder blue, sage, oat and cream sit easily alongside most nursery schemes.

Worked examples

A round sign above a standard crib

A parent measures the crib and notes its width. Two thirds of that number gives a starting size, so she cuts paper circles at the two nearest sizes listed on the product page and tapes them above the crib. From the doorway, the larger circle looks right with the name “Juniper Rose”, so she orders that size and writes the name in the order notes.

Letters across a wide dresser

For twins “Theo & Milo”, the parents choose individual block letters for each name and plan to place them along a long dresser rather than on the wall. They mark each name’s width with tape strips and leave a clear gap between the names. They put both names, item by item, in the order notes.

A blanket for a grandmother in Auckland to use on visits

A grandparent wants a knit blanket for cuddles in her armchair. Seated, she measures from shoulder to knee and compares that with the blanket lengths on the product page, choosing a size that drapes comfortably over her lap and the baby.

Hanging and placement checklist

Size and safety go together in a nursery. Before you decide where a sign or letters will go, run through this checklist:

• Is the spot out of reach of a standing toddler, including when a crib mattress is lowered or a bed is moved later?
• Is there anything below that a falling piece could land on, such as a crib, a changing table or a play area? If so, choose another spot or a shelf placement.
• What is the wall made of? Drywall, plaster, brick and tile need different fixings; use hardware suited to your wall and the piece’s weight.
• Is the piece clear of curtain cords, lamps, heaters and windows that open?
• Will an adult be able to dust it easily without leaning over the crib?

Follow the hanging guidance included with your order, and ask a second adult to help with larger pieces.

Units and conversions

Product pages list sizes in inches, and many parents in Canada, Australia and New Zealand measure in centimetres. One inch is 2.54 centimetres, so multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimetres, or divide centimetres by 2.54 to get inches. A quick way to sanity-check a size is to compare it with something familiar: a standard sheet of letter or A4 paper is a little under 12 inches (about 30 cm) on its long side, which makes it a handy measuring tool when building a paper template.

Sizing for shared rooms and siblings

When a baby shares a room with an older sibling, two signs or two sets of letters often look best when they relate to each other: the same shape in two sizes, or the same lettering style above each bed. Measure each bed or crib separately and apply the two-thirds idea to each. If you are ordering both together, put both names, item by item, in the order notes so each piece is prepared with the right name and option.

Measuring tips that save a return

• Measure twice, and write the numbers down with the unit next to them.
• Measure the visible space, not the whole wall: curtains, a window frame or a lamp can take up more room than you expect.
• Take a photo of your paper template from the doorway and look at it the next morning with fresh eyes.
• If two sizes both look right, the smaller one usually feels calmer in a small room, and the larger one reads better in a big room or from across the space.

If the size is not right

Even with careful measuring, a piece can look different once it is in the room. You can return any item, personalized or not, within 60 days of delivery, and we send a free return label. Your refund is issued within 7 days of the return reaching us, or you can choose store credit, which never expires. Then you can order the size that fits; shipping is always free. See our Returns & Exchanges Policy.

Ask us before you order

Send us the product link, your measurements, the name you plan to use and, if possible, a photo of the wall or furniture. Use the subject “Question before ordering” at support@nestmade.shop or through Submit a Ticket. We reply within 24 hours on business days with a practical recommendation. More answers are in our FAQs and Help Center.