cutting fabric hexagons tutorial

I've had a lot of questions lately about how I cut my fabric hexagons so I thought I'd write a little tutorial for you.  This is a super easy way to cut a lot of hexagons quickly ... (recommended for English paper-piecing only).

Step 1

Measure the height of a hexagon template - mine is 7/8".

Step 2

Add 1/2" to the measurement from Step 1 (for seam allowance) and cut a strip of fabric that width - mine is 1-3/8".

Step 3

Lay a template, centered and a little bit away from the end of the strip.

Step 4

Measure 1/4" away from the top left edge of the hexagon. 

Trim the corner.

Step 5

Measure 1/4" away from the bottom left edge of the hexagon and trim.

Step 6

Repeat for the top and bottom right edges of the hexagon. 

You are essentially cutting an "X".  This "X" conveniently forms the left edges of the next hexagon. 

Nice, eh?

Step 7

Take the cut fabric hexagon and lay it on the strip of fabric, matching up the point on the left side.  Use this first hexagon as your cutting template from now on.

Step 8

Cut the next "X".

Step 9

Repeat as necessary.

By the way, I usually stack as many as 6 fabric strips at a time ... I can cut a lot of hexagons quickly!

Also, don't worry about being super duper accurate ... these fabric hexagons will be basted onto perfectly shaped English Paper Piecing templates so you don't need to be as accurate as if you were machine piecing them.

I hope you find this tutorial useful.

Comments

[PaulaK]

You write the best tutorials ever! Thank you!

[Hildy]

Thanks for the tutorial!

[Emmarxy]

WOW! 7/8" I feel like such a whimp. Mine are 2 1/2" lol.
You must be a very patient lady. Thanks for the tutorial.

[Leanne]

Hmmm...never thought of using my rotary cutter for hexagons like that. Will have to give it a try (only 300 and some more to cut after all!).

[Diane Kelsey]

Just what I needed, I need to make lots of hexagons for a Lynette Anderson BOM that I'm working on. Thank you

[marilyn holley-stupka]

Two weeks ago there was a quilt show here in the Atlanta area. Low and behold there was a hexie quilt of 3/4" diamonds. All I could think was another crazy lady. It was amazingly gorgeous but no Liberty Lawns so I'm sure yours will be much lovelier.

[Kathi]

Thanks for the tutorial... yours are always so awesome :) I love your sewing! Now to try some hexies out :) Kathi

[Bonnie Nyquist]

Thank you for the most welcome tutorial! Perfectly done as usual!! That is a keeper for sure. Every time I see a glimpse of your hexies I cannot wait to see it completed!!
Can you tell us please if you are going to Houston this year?

[DJ]

Thank you for this tutorial! Gives me hope to try this :)

[Tina in Nevada]

Oh My Gosh! You are brilliant!!! Thank so very much for sharing this - maybe now I'll have a little hair left on my head after working on hexies ;)

THANK YOU!!!

[Leslie Legros]

Wonderful project! I am very jealous! Looking forward to some of the diamonds being sewn together, keep going?
Take care, Leslie

[Pattie]

Stacking strips of fabric as you do is ingenious!! I just finished cutting a bunch of fabric for my latest EPP project - one hexie at a time. Takes foreeeeever! :-)

Question: how do you choose a thread color when whip stitching the hexies together? I tend to chose high contract fabrics (say, white for the center: red for the surrounding hexies.) Would you go with red or white thread? I wish I could say my stitches won't show at all, but I know they will.

Thanks. LOVE following everything you're working on! Your work is stunning.

[Kathleen O'Grady]

Wow, too easy! I am so impressed! Man...I have been doing it the hard way. Thanks!!

[Cheryl]

Thank you for the fabulously clear instructions. As always, you use a practical, simple method to accomplish the task!
Cheryl

[Lori Hunstad]

Perfect! I traced the templates ad scissor cut them when I made the honey bee bag..definitely going to this method on the next one..can't wait to get started!

Xoxo

[Lisa]

I love your informative tutorials .

[Debbie R]

Wow! So efficient and quick! Great tutorial.

[Babychaser]

Forgive me if calling you brilliant is going a bit over the top. I tried out hexies on a small scale while out of town this summer and I did the super painful "pin it to the fabric and cut around all the sides with normal scissors while holding the whole thing in my hand one at a time" approach. Perhaps now you understand why I think you are brilliant. Hexagons may still hold a place in my future thanks to you!

[Bear Creek Quilting Company]

Great tutorial! I love following your hexagon project...it is so beautiful and your fabrics are amazing-even the "dark" one. Thank you for sharing how easy it is to cut these beautiful shapes out. You are inspiring me to give this project a try. Thank you! ~Shari

[Rachel]

Hat's off to you!!! I can't believe for literally decades I've been individually cutting my hexagons, this is so fab, always love your blog and from today I love YOU!! thanks x

[Susan]

Unbelievable! By the time I hit step 7 & 8 I was shouting "YES" "YES" "YES" as I sipped my coffee!!

Thank you so so much for this wonderful tutorial. You ROCK!!

[A Little Blue Dragonfly]

Now this helps make hexies not seem so intimidating! Maybe I'll give this a try!

[Jodi]

Thank you so much!! I've been wanting to work with hexagons but wasn't looking forward to cutting out each individual hexagon. This makes much more sense!!

[Jennifer B]

Thank-You, Kristyne. I needed that!

[Bari Jo]

Yes. This was extremely helpful! Genius. Pure genius K. How do you do it? All. The. Time. You Rock! ;O)

[Monica]

Wow you do such great work and your tutorials are awesome.

[Sharon Bourque]

Awesome tutorial...I was trying to figure this out on my own and your tutorial really made quick work of getting going on a project for my Guild. Thanks very much.

[Paula Kennedy]

Thank you I have learnt how to cutt hexagons and triangles to join to them. I'm struggling with the edge to edge sewing the triangle onto the hexagon and also would like hints for sewing the hexagon onto a square and also wonder if there is a way to cut strips to join hexagons. Wow that's a lot = Thanks for any attention.

[DLe]

Plastic templates from Paper Pieces will make this quicker. Plastic template, fabric strips cut to size for template, lay on template and cut multiple hexies all at once with rotary cutter.

[Angelique]

Thank you, for one more trick I needed to learn;to move me forward on my Hexi adventure!

[Denise]

Thank you. Super fast and easy. :)

[Susi Messenger]

Thank you for an awesome photo tutorial.

Beginners like myself appreciate the time you take to create them and it gets us moving in the correct direction ...away from the kitchen and towards our stash and cutting table.

Susi Messenger Adelaide South Australia

[Karon]

Just got the itch to some hand sewing. Your tutorial, was easy to follow I've cut enough hexies to sew now. Going to make a round table top. Christmas is my main fabric

[Jamie]

Thank you so much for sharing this simple (with photos) tutorial! I've wanted to try hexies and this has helped me understand how to start!