I was very careful when cutting the strips... so that isn't the issue... But I didn't know about the density of the fabrics having such an effect on the whole...
The white on white is not as dense as the other fabrics. Should I pull that out altogether and replace it with another more dense fabric?? UGH! Dang it. This is a gift for my brother - so I will do the extra work...
But first I am going to try sewing the two strips with the white on the bottom..