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Quilting

Hexagon Quilt Calculator

Work out hexagon template width and height, fabric cut size, and strip width from the hexagon side length and your seam allowance.

  • Updates as you type
  • Inches or centimetres
  • Copy or print your results

Calculator

in
in
hexagons

Your cutting numbers

Enter your measurements above

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What size do I cut hexagons with 1" sides?

For hexagons with 1" sides and a 1/4" seam allowance:

You enter

Side length
1" (2.54 cm)
Seam allowance
1/4" (0.64 cm)

You get

Paper template
1-3/4" × 2" (4.4 cm × 5.1 cm)
Fabric cut
2-1/4" × 2-1/2" (5.7 cm × 6.4 cm)
Strip width
2-1/2" (6.4 cm)

The formula: template width = side × 1.732, height = side × 2; fabric cut and strip width add 2 × seam allowance.

Frequently asked questions

  1. How do you measure a hexagon for quilting?

    By the length of one side. Hexagon papers and templates are sold by side length, so a "1 inch hexagon" has 1" sides — it measures about 1.73" across the flats and 2" from point to point.

  2. What size fabric do I cut for a hexagon?

    Add the seam allowance to every edge of the template: template width and height plus 2 × seam allowance. For English paper piecing, 1/4" to 3/8" is typical; with a 1/4" seam a 1" hexagon needs a 2-1/4" × 2-1/2" piece.

  3. How wide should I cut strips for hexagons?

    Cut strips as wide as the template's point-to-point height plus two seam allowances, then sub-cut the strip into hexagons or rough pieces for basting.

  4. Why are the hexagon sizes rounded?

    Hexagon widths involve the square root of 3, so they almost never land on a ruler marking. The calculator rounds fabric cuts up to the next 1/8" (so a piece is never too small) and template sizes to the nearest 1/8". For exact shapes, use a hexagon ruler or a printed template.

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