I worked with my mom a couple of afternoons and we sewed all the fabrics together into really long strips, which took about 5 hours total.
The next step (which I did on my own) was to iron all the seams to one side and cut all the fabric into shorter strips that are all the same length. I did 24″ to ensure that the blocks would be as random as possible.
(I think that this is the first photo that shows every fabric that I am using for this quilt. )
The next step was to make groups of fabrics that we will sew together. I did 20 groups of the three fabrics that I had the most of. Even doing that, there was still more to mix in with the rest of the fabrics. With the other fabrics, I did groups of 6.
This is the fabric after it was randomized. The next step is to sew all of these together and cut them perpendicular to the strips to create squares. I think that I am going to make picnic blankets out of them–50″ x 60″. By my calculations, I have enough to make several–maybe 3 or 4. We’ll see how long my patience holds out.
Ironing, cutting, and grouping the fabric took about 7 hours.
Wish me luck!
Cathy At Home on the River 