Not so Top Secret Project Step 1

Step 1 - the 16patch Block
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We are going to take all of the 2 1/2 inch strips and sew them together. Take One Dark Strip, place it pretty side up. Take one light strip place it pretty side down on top of the dark. This is called faced together. Place them under your sewing machine and using 1/4 inch seam sew the strip together.
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I like to chain sew, so I will sit and sew all of the 2 1/2 strips together at one time. I stitch to the end of one strip, then slightly lift the presser foot and slip the next strip under it. Then I keep stitching until the end of that row.
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Now you have to look at the picture sideways - because blogger loves me and I can't seem to get it rotated right... no matter what I do to it. But this is my pile of 2 1/2 strips all stitched together.
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After I have all of them stitched I go and clip the threads between and take them to the ironing board to press. On my quilt I pressed all the seams towards the dark fabric. I do this so that when it comes time to quilt it, the seams are hidden under the dark fabric and you don't get any shadowing on the quilt. But - you also need to understand I am not the perfectionist that I probably should be, so if they don't go this way- its alright.. really. Just take a deep breath and smile!
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Again - blogger turned my picture... it must have something to do with the way I took it on the camera... cuz I rotated it in my photo deallie ( and yes deallie is a word - my hubby understands it, and a lot of the time he can fix them!)
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So once you are done pressing them all, you lay the strips out on your cutting mat. When I first starting quilting I did one strip at a time, now I am a little bit more confident with the rotary cutter and will do up to 4 strips at a time. I layer the strips, then I trim off the end of the strip so it is even. Then I place my ruler every 2 1/2 inches and slice the pile. Essentially I am cutting 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 strips. I took a picture just in case this doesn't make sense.
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*On the Width of fabric strips you should be getting 16 pieces per strip. On the Scrappy FQ option you should be getting 8 pieces per strip.
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* when you are all done cutting these pieces you should have 168 pieces.. just in case you are one to count pieces ( grin).

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So that is what we will do for today. If there are better ways to explain or describe what I am trying to describe - let me know. In my brain it makes sense... but sometimes the words don't come out just right. One good thing is that I will be there when I am teaching it to the Ladies Group and the Guild. So that is always a benefit for answering questions.
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Have a super sewing day and evening... thunder is rolling in and I have a feeling the rain storm is not far behind!