Free Tool
EPP Cutting Planner
How many hexagons, diamonds or jewels can you get from that fat quarter? Pick your shapes and see every piece laid out to scale, with a ⅜″ seam allowance and as little waste as possible.
Your fabric
18″ × 21″ usable, after squaring up.
Shapes
Size is the length of one side.
⅜″ is the usual EPP allowance; ¼″ means less bulk, ½″ is easier to baste.
15% of the fabric ends up as scraps.
Solid outlines are the fabric pieces; dashed outlines show where each paper sits.
Cutting steps
- 1Press the fabric and square up one edge. The plan uses 21″ × 18″.
- 2Print the fabric template (paper plus ⅜″ allowance) from the PDF and check its 1″ test square measures true.
- 3Trace 60 pieces on the wrong side of the fabric, packed together the way the cut map shows. Neighbors share cutting lines, so there is less to cut than it looks.
- 4Cut on the traced lines with scissors, or with a small rotary cutter along a ruler. That gives 60 1″ hexagons.
- 5To baste, center a paper on the wrong side of each piece and fold the ⅜″ allowance over every edge. Glue-baste or thread-baste it down.
The PDF has true-size templates. Print at 100% and check the 1″ test square.
How many pieces per fat quarter?
From an 18″ × 21″ fat quarter with a ⅜″ seam allowance, for the three ways of cutting.
| Shape | Squares | Strips | Nested |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½″ hexagon | 132 | 121 | 147 |
| ¾″ hexagon | 72 | 70 | 88 |
| 1″ hexagon | 56 | 49 | 60 |
| 1½″ hexagon | 30 | 25 | 28 |
| 2″ hexagon | 16 | 16 | 18 |
| 1″ half hexagon | 77 | 88 | 95 |
| 1″ jewel | 42 | 49 | 49 |
| 1″ 60° diamond | 99 | 121 | 121 |
| 2″ 60° diamond | 35 | 49 | 49 |
| 1″ equilateral triangle | 132 | 168 | 176 |
| 1½″ 45° diamond | 55 | 66 | 70 |
| 1½″ pentagon | 30 | 30 | 36 |
How to use the planner
- 1Pick your fabric. Fat quarter, fat eighth, half yard, a charm square, or any custom size.
- 2Choose shapes and sizes. Hexagons, half hexagons, jewels, diamonds, triangles, pentagons, squares and more, sized by side length like the paper packs.
- 3Set the seam allowance. ⅜″ is standard for EPP; ¼″ and ½″ are there too.
- 4Compare cutting methods. Nested, strips, or squares. See how many pieces each gives and pick the one that suits you.
- 5Download the plan. Get a PDF with the cutting steps, the cut map, and true-size templates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 1-inch hexagons can I cut from a fat quarter?
It depends on how you cut. Cut 2½″ squares (the usual paper-pack chart) and you get 56. Cut the true hexagon shape with a ⅜″ allowance, nested together the way a honeycomb fits, and you get 60. The planner above draws both, for any fabric size.
What does the size of an EPP shape mean?
The size is the length of one side. A 1″ hexagon has 1″ sides, and so do a 1″ 60° diamond and a 1″ triangle, which is why same-numbered shapes sew together. Half hexagons and jewels are sized by their short side; their long sides are twice that.
What seam allowance should I use for English paper piecing?
⅜″ is the most common. It gives you plenty to fold over the paper and baste. Some quilters use ¼″ for less bulk at the points, and some beginners like ½″ because it is easier to hold. The planner handles all three.
Should I cut squares or the actual shape?
Squares are the fastest to cut and baste just fine: the extra fabric at the corners folds away. Cutting the real shape (from strips with a 60° ruler, or traced from a template) gets more pieces from the same fabric, especially for diamonds, triangles and jewels, which fit together with almost no waste.
How do I cut EPP diamonds from strips?
Cut a strip as wide as the diamond's height plus twice your seam allowance. Then line up the 60° (or 45°) line of your ruler with the strip edge and cut across, moving along one diamond at a time. Every cut makes the edge of two diamonds, so nothing is wasted between them. The planner gives you the exact strip width.
Can I plan a mix of shapes on one fat quarter?
Yes. Add up to four shapes and say how many of each you want. The planner gives each shape its own strips, fills your counts first, and uses the rest of the fabric for any shape you left open.