Everyone works their own way, and that's okay. I'm a planner and may tend to over think things. I use EQ8 for the design, and then I turn to Excel for more precise calculations when planning a quilt. I figure out how many strips to cut before I cut them, how much fabric it will take, how many blocks to make, and I seldom have any left over. If I do, they go on the back of the quilt if possible. I never just start sewing without a plan, though sometimes the plan does change as I sew.