MollySue,
I cut them saving as close to a 1/4 inch of the cream color as possible, so that I could sew the seam just up-to the outer gold stripe color. That way, each block was bordered in gold rim/trim.
Then sewed on a second color sashing to bring the blocks out to a standard size for fitting into a pattern.
Added flying geese and various sets of patches, my wall hanging used at least 7 or 8 coordinated fat quarters, but you could use fat eighths for most.
Aardie.