In looking at that picture, is it my imagination or is it also just a 9 patch with a solid patch in the middle...with the 9 patch pieces changing color depending on the solid patch they are nearest? It would still take some planning as to the line up of each 9 patch, but might be easier than a row by row.
of course if you have already cut all the strips, then my way wouldn't work! *Ü*
eta: and of course you wouldn't get the cool striped pattern that the cover pattern has....
eta2: and honestly if I were going to do it row by row, I would probably sew each row on as I got it completed to make sure it was "right"....I would rather find the mistake as I made a row than in the end after I sewed them all together!