Yup, this is your opportunity to stare at the screen, saying the heck? Why 20 cuts? Why 1/4 yard cuts? Well, 20 is a good number for variety. And 1/4 yard is the minimum cut at most stores. Also, if you go down to an eighth, often, they're not cut straight, and you end up having to trim off too much to have enough to use. So what's the absolute minimum, you ask. Well, you need 111 each of light and dark squares, and you can get 12 in a 44" strip. So you need ten strips, 44" long. Or 9 strips, then dig up a square from somewhere. Use scraps as much as you can.
What about FQs? Well, you can get 20 squares from one FQ. So you'll need 6 light and 6 dark FQs for the squares.
Yet some more advice: what I recommend is that you dig through your scrap collection and get as many squares as you can, then dig around your stash or buy some to make up the rest. If you just keep in mind the figures listed above, you shouldn't run into too many difficulties figuring yardages.
I recommend that you pre-wash all fabrics, using the treatment that you plan to give them once they are in the finished quilt. For quilt washing instructions, please see "How I Wash My Quilts."
Lay aside the border fabrics for now. Cut one 3 7/8" x width of fabric strips from the 21 quarter yard cuts. Trim the seam allowances off of these strips and then cut the strips into 3 7/8" squares; you should get 12 to a strip.
Using a straight edge and a chalk pencil, draw a diagonal line across the back side of each light square.
Now you can go on to Part Two!
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