I'm with LavendarBlue...I worry about "likes" touching! I'd have to work this another way...making it much more difficult. Okay....I'm NOT going to stress about it!! Come on, LavendarBlue...we can do ONE quilt with like colors touching, can't we??? "I think I can.....I think I can....I think I can!!!" And I get after my kids for being too OCD-ish!!!

Randa thank you. Today I made a compromise decision .....I happen to have 80 autumn strips from previous swaps, so cut them in half at 20-21" to make two of these quilts, one to keep and another for my daughter. I think that will mix them up enough.

But instead of cutting the first strip in half per the original instructions, I added an extra fabric cut in half (measuring 10"-11" in this case) to stagger/offset them.

By having 80 strips to sew, I figure the sewing of the strips into the loooooong first piece will take up an additional 20" in seams (40 x 1/2"), so that is why I didn't do the 20" cut....I will need that length for it to come out big enough.

Clear as mud? I will keep doing some math before starting to sew. What is your plan?
:D

LOL! No, hon...my plan is to not stress over the like ones touching! Honestly, I don't even have a jelly roll yet!!! Gonna get one soon...! (I know I don't NEED a jelly roll to do this.) I don't make quilts to "show" or "hang"...they are to be used by my grandkids! I don't think any of them will mind if the same patterns touch. And if I don't have to look at it, except while sewing it, I will be okay with it. I think. I have to make a quilt for a granddaughter next and will be doing the 10 minute block, but then I have two boys to make for...if I can find masculine fabrics I think this will be great...easy and fun!

A bunch of my quilting friends got together and we each made one of these last night! It was super fun and easy. Can't wait to put the borders on. The left over strip halves are going to be put together to make a charity baby quilt.

what is the 10 minute block?

It is a variation of the method shown in this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvXUvKIzYZY

Lovely! How did you manage to distribute your colours so well, and avoid having your vertical seams line up, which seems like the only real hazard with this pattern?

Oh I have got to try this! Thanks for sharing.

The key to not having the seams match up is to cut the first strip in half so it will be shorter. That way the seams come out staggered. The color distribution is purely by chance.

Someone also suggested to sew all "like" colors together in that first strip and that helped to stop colors from touching. Haven't tried so don't know if it works but will soon. I found a jellyroll of polkadot fabrics. Anxious to try it out but have to finish the almost done UFO's first. I love polkadots.