Can We Say--CONFUSED!

Okay, I've been working on these strips since early last summer!  It was easy to exchange (25 light and 25 dark) 2"x5" strips with 10 friends, but boy, the sewing up has been a major challenge.  Finally, I just had to drag myself into that sewing room and finish that project!!  It's not that it was difficult, but every time I looked at the stack of strips, I just couldn't fathom how it was all going to work out.  Of course, I had the book from Bonnie Hunter as we had all worked from it last summer during our club sewing days.  I said to myself--"Self, get yourself in there and get to work!  You can do this! Quit being such a wimp!"  And so, me, myself and I entered into the holding box with this project.......

You just keep adding strips to each length--but wait--at some point, all those strips need to be the same length, so once back into the sewing room, I took time to count each red connector square and stacked each into appropriate pile--36 here, 30 here, etc.  Okay, that helps!

Now, lay out the strips to see if we can make sense of this madness--oh, no!  this can not be right!

Must refer to the book instructions--why is this so difficult for me?  I don't think my thinking cap is on straight today.....................

Now, this looks right!!  sigh!  Onto the next step...................

All those points must be trimmed and there has to be a way to keep each strip the same width...ah!  I got it!  Since my rulers are not 6.5" wide, I'll measure a template and use that!

and now there is an exact 6.5" width and using a straight edge, the strips can be trimmed.  Onto the next step....................sewing strips together

Pinning in place is important--make sure all those whites match up perfectly!

First seam--good going!

Look at that would you?!!  great match up!

 

and on and on I continue to measure, cut, pin and stitch--all 20 strips until we have finished

TEXAS BRAID!  WOW!  That wasn't so hard after all--it just took a little pushing from my alter ego--you got this, Gal!  And off to the quilter it goes.................bring on the next challenge! and let's see if it can be finished in less than a year......................................