If I remember correctly... there is a way to sew the strips without trimming or if they are a bit too narrow.
Cut a piece of card board 2 and 1/4" wide by whatever length. Line up one long edge of the cardboard to the outer (left) edge of the strips. Those are the edges you will match BTW. Then sew your seam at the other (right) edge of the cardboard. It might not be 1/4".
That should give you the finished width of the strips as 2 1/4".
Does this make sense? somewhere on the net there is at least one tute if not more but I can't find them in a hurry and my Pinterest won't display for me for some reason. I know I've pinned this. Possiblly someone could find that particular tutorial. The pictures are excellent.
And I will keep looking myself.