Not so Top Secret Project Two Part 1

My 2 1/2 inch scrap bin was overflowing. So I decided that I needed another pattern that used the 2 1/2 inch scraps. This is that pattern. I shall call it the "Not So Top Secret Quilt #2"
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Especially since I can not keep a quilt a secret - this seems to be an appropriate title. And it can be the second in a series, Since the NSTSP 1 used 2 1/2 inch pieces too!
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I am not showing you the finished quilt as of yet, because - well mine is not finished. I am having a border conundrum... so I may have to show it to you with the choice of 2 borders.
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So Step One:
The 16 patch Block.
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I grabbed my 2 1/2 inch bin and pulled some strips out. Now I have a rather Patriotic looking bin. I randomly pulled strips that were approximately the same length. I sewed four strips together, and then cut them into 2 1/2 inch subcuts. ( Picture 2)
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You need 18 ~ 16 patch blocks.
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If you are going to make a 4 color 16 patch you will need approximately 3/8 yard of 4 different fabrics. If you want to use Fat Quarters - you need 288 ~2 1/2 inch squares, and a Fat Quarter will yield approximately 56 ~2 1/2 inch squares each. Which means you need about 6 FQ's... see why I used my bin?
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After I subcut them, I chose 4 pieces and sewed them together to make the block. I did not try to determine a pattern, I just sewed the strips together and came up with some pretty random, and unrandom blocks. I liked them.

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Then... are you sitting down for this? I squared up each 16 patch block to 8 1/2 inches in size. I normally don't do this - but I was avoiding chores - so I did, and I will be glad that I did too!

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Here is a picture of my squared up blocks, and the trimmings. Do NOT put your 2 1/2 inch bin away. You will need it for the next step.

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So .... it doesn't look to hard so far does it? I will post the next step next Monday... so get to sewing!!