Now that all our blocks have been made, it is time to assemble them into the section.
Dealing with the background strips is a personal choice.
I have decided to use one neutral fabric to make my life easier. I have also chosen to cut my strips as I go rather than all at once.
I don't have a large variety of yardage in my scraps to cut all these background strips, but I do a have a 5yd piece of this white with a light grey print that I think will work just fine.
Many have decided to cut all their strips at once, laying them out to see how the colors blend across the quilt.
Those who have chosen to use varieties of fabrics for their background or to cut all their strips ahead of time have posted their ideas for labeling and organization. On the FB page search using the #tip #strips to see what they are doing.
I also have no desire to try and keep track of the various strips over the next 10 months and have chosen to cut my strips as we go along.
On page 25, fourth paragraph down, you will find the width size of your strips...I'll call them regular. There are a few strips that will be cut a bit narrower. In Section 1, we will need 2 of those narrow strips.
Now, look at the diagram of Section 1 on the top of page 26. When I look at it, I see three areas.
Left is hourglass and bordered square
Center is Puss with 2 strip sets
Right is SqNsq and Pinwheel.
For the left area we need to start by sewing 5 of the regular strips together.
When sewing long strips together it helps if you sew them in opposite directions. I sew the first two strips together. When I add the next strip, it goes on top of the next strip. Next, the end of the set that comes out of the machine last, will go in first. So you will flip it on top of the next strip you are adding. That way you sew up one row and down the next.
I hope that makes sense. By stitching that way you are not stretching the fabric all in one direction and it will reduce distortion.
I set each seam by gently pressing down on them one at a time. Then I gently finger press toward the strip that was added.
Finally, I press, not iron everything flat.
Square up the edge before making the first cut. (the lenght of the strips is just below the diagram) and attach it to the bottom of our bordered square-in-square block. I then cut the left side strip and stitch it onto the block. 
Now stitch the hourglass block to the top and this left area is done
The center area of this section has two sets of strip sets with the Puss block in the middle.
Again, I sew the strip sets alternating up and down. Be sure to include the two narrow strips in this strip set. Lightly press to flatten. Cut the two different strip sets as directed in the diagram to add to the top and bottom of the Puss block.
While I was prepping strips, I decided to also cut the strips for the third area and laid it all out.
Sewing the second area together was simple.... just add the strip set to the top and bottom.... Just be careful that you don't turn the strip set in the wrong direction so that the smaller strips don't match up. I noticed this after I took the picture and quickly grabbed Jack and fixed it. Sew areas left and center together. 
The right area is a bit more complicated. I started by sewing the easy strip sets together (2 long strips on the left and right, the 3set above the SqNsq, and the 2 small strips above the pinwheel.
Attach the 3strip set above the SqNsq.
I sewed the two small strips to the pinwheel block from the edge toward the center, leaving 1/2in unsewn toward the center of the pinwheel.. pressing up, away from the block.
I then sewed the long strip to the side of the pinwheel and small strips to complete the seam.
Sew the SqNsq block to the 3strip set.
Next I stitched those 2 long strips next to the SqNsq block... being careful to sew just above the sewing line on the square to save the point.. and careful not to catch the pinwheel block in this seam.
Attach this right area to the center area and Section 1 is done!
