cut strip sets #2 and #3

We ironed open cut strip set #2, went back to the table and smoothed it down.

We then placed #3 right side up so that the strip sets were staggered correctly.
Then we flipped over #3 face down on top of #2, right sides together, pinning the edges to be sewn together.
We rolled up the sides of the quilt to expose only our sewing area, and rolled from the bottom to the top.
We sewed our seam (unrolling the bottom as we go), went to the ironing board, removed pins and pressed open, and returned to the table.
My helper and I are working so well together :)

Layout onto quilt backing begins

We centered cut strip set #1 on the backing, and pinned both long edges down to the backing with safety pins (straight pins will poke us, repeatedly!).

We will be using cut strip set #1 as our guide to lay out the rest of the strip sets. Cut strip sets #2 and #5 will be sewn on either side of #1.

A big step! Cutting tubes, preparing to sew to backing

This is where we need to really pay attention and go slow. Here the time needed to correct mistakes increases exponentially...AMHIK*
We need 7 tubes.
Each tube is composed of two strip sets sewn together - one strip set of each color combination, with a 4.5"X10" end block of the matching color sewn onto each end.
Each tube has two strip sets and four blocks. This makes more sense if you look at the picture. You can't see the blue/water strip set sewn onto the other side of the starry blue/white strip set, but it's there.
We will be cutting the tubes in a staggered manner so that when they are laid out, they will form our pattern.

Here's the method of our tube-cutting madness:


I have a 12"X18" cutting mat that I put inside each tube, in order to cut through just one side or layer of the tube. 
I cut through the solid blue strip sets with the water strip in the middle (NOT the starry blue strip sets with the white strip down the middle).
Tube #1 was cut in the middle of the solid blue half of the tube.
Tube #1 is no longer a tube - it is cut strip set #1. It will be pinned and sewn to the middle of the backing, and the other cut strip sets staggered from there. 
Tube #2 was cut 4" from the center of the solid blue side of the tube (not the starry side). #2 is no longer a tube, but cut strip set #2. Repeat...
Tube #3 was cut 8" from the center of the solid blue side of the tube (and is now cut strip set #3), and
Tube #4 was cut 12" from the center of the solid blue side of the tube (and is now cut strip set #4).
We basically will do the same with cut strip sets #5, #6 and #7, with the measurements matching #2, #3, and #4.
I squared up the edges (trimmed them with the rotary cutter so they are even). Feeding the OCS monster again :)

*ask me how I know