Quilt Math Help
 

Hi Everyone,

I purchased a pattern from On Williams Street, and the cutting directions are not at all optimized for the least amount of waste. I can sort it out for most of the fabrics, but the background fabric has me stressed out. Is there anywhere I can put in a set of pieces and have it spit out the most efficient cutting method?

Thanks in Advance!

If I am planning my cutting, I just sit down with pen and paper, and draw it out.
Graph paper helps, but lots of times, I just sketch it onto the paper.
Depends on how many different shapes/sizes you need to cut.

Thanks - I am planning on doing that with everything else, but it's about 300 pieces for the background, so it's over 3 yards of fabric. They're all strips and squares, I just would prefer to have them optimized for the least amount of waste.

So, your pattern will say ... cut 50 of X size/shape, 40 of Y, 50 of Z etc.
It's really no different than what you will do for the others.
The strips are straight forward as they are probably cut WOF.
For cut pieces, calculate # per WOF, and determine the #WOF you need.
If you don't need a full WOF, use the rest of that width for smaller pieces.

Taking the time to and DIY, before you start cutting is well worth it.
Then go to the cutting table with your "map" and follow the plan!

To answer your original question, no, there is no program that will do what you're asking. Unless there's some kind of professional CAD program, which most of us don't have access to, I would assume. Electric Quilt will only tell you how many of what shape to cut.

I agree with QuiltE, it's simple enough to do on paper. For instance, let's say you need 76 squares that are 4". Okay, the fabric is 44" wide, with say 43" of usable fabric once you cut off the selvedges. 43 (WOF) divided by 4 (the block size) is 10.75, so you can get 10 squares from one strip. So you will need seven and a half strips to get the 76 squares, and you'll have a strip at the edge that is 3" by 30". You might be able to use that elsewhere.
Then do the same thing with the strips you need.
Keep in mind that if your pattern calls for border or sashing strips, you might want to cut those first from the lengthwise run of the fabric. Some people prefer not to piece together those parts of the quilt.

Which pattern did you purchase?

Squares are usually not a problem, but if the strips are long, that can be an issue. I had one quilt that had a bunch of 10.5" long strips, and the pattern was designed for 42" usable WOF, but I only had 40" so I could get three with a lot of waste and didn't want that. So I cut my strip at 10.5" long and then subcut that.

Anything you need enough of that you can cut WOF - do them and then you'll only have to deal with the leftover pieces.

I usually start by cutting the largest pieces first....and usually cut strips the width of the fabric to make them. I then work my way down cutting the next largest pieces out of any fabric I have left over from the largest pieces....some patterns are written that way...others do create a bit of waste as you go....no matter what, whatever is left over at the end goes into my scrap boxes so it isn't really wasted anyway. I don't know what sizes you need to make...but say you needed a bunch of 15 inch strips 3 inches wide....40 inch is the amount you will get from a WOF fabric cut....which will leave you with 10 inches left over....so if the pattern calls for 2.5 inch squares...you could cut the remainder of the strip down to 2.5 inches and then subcut into 5 2.5 inch squares....This is why I love scrap quilting....cuz leftovers and "waste" get used anyway. I am making Bonnies 90 by 90 inch mystery quilt this year and I am using 100 % "scraps" No waste in the long run with scrap quilts.

I think I know what you are saying. The pattern is for one big block (eg. a big flower) then lots of squares and rectangles to complete the background. Correct?
If that's the case and you don't want to cut a gazillion squares you pretty much have to redraw the pattern on graph paper and then make your own. Don't forget to add seam allowance.

What pattern are you working with? I love their patterns, and a math challenge...