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How many squares of any size you can cut from a yard or a fat quarter — and the formula for everything else.
| Cut Square Size | Per Yard (42×36″) | Per Fat Quarter (21×18″) |
|---|---|---|
| 2" | 378 | 90 |
| 2-1/2" | 224 | 56 |
| 3" | 168 | 42 |
| 3-1/2" | 120 | 30 |
| 4" | 90 | 20 |
| 4-1/2" | 72 | 16 |
| 5" | 56 | 12 |
| 6" | 42 | 9 |
| 6-1/2" | 30 | 6 |
| 8" | 20 | 4 |
| 10" | 12 | 2 |
Counts assume 42″ of usable width and pieces cut in a straight grid. Sizes are cut sizes — remember your pattern's cut size already includes seam allowance.
Yardage beats precuts on price when you need lots of identical pieces — the table above tells you exactly how far a yard goes.
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56 squares. With 42" of usable width you get 8 squares across (42 ÷ 5 = 8.4 → 8), and from 36" of length you get 7 rows (36 ÷ 5 = 7.2 → 7). 8 × 7 = 56 — more than a standard 42-piece charm pack.
12 squares. A fat quarter measures about 21" × 18": 4 squares across (21 ÷ 5 = 4.2 → 4) and 3 rows (18 ÷ 5 = 3.6 → 3). A fat quarter is more cutting-friendly than a regular quarter yard, which only yields 8 squares in one 9"-tall strip pair.
224 squares: 16 across the 42" usable width and 14 down the 36" length. From a fat quarter you get 56 — the same count as a mini charm pack plus a few spares.
Yes — try both orientations. For rectangles, calculate floor(width ÷ piece width) × floor(length ÷ piece height), then swap the piece's width and height and recalculate; use whichever is larger. Cutting 2.5" × 4.5" rectangles from a fat quarter yields 32 one way (8 across × 4 down) but only 28 the other.
42" is the standard planning number for 44/45" quilting cotton after selvages. Some fabrics finish at 40–41" usable, and prewashing shrinks both directions by 2–3% — which can quietly delete a whole column or row of pieces. If your count lands exactly at the edge (like 8 across at 5"), buy an extra eighth of a yard of insurance.