: I can't imagine how to deal with the problem of getting near the sheerline
: and finding that the strips were much closer to the sheerline at one end
: than at the other.

: Maybe some of your frustration comes from using full length strips and/or
: from using bead and cove. With full length strips you need to get both
: ends of the "puzzle piece" right. With short strips, you only
: need to get one end right. I find scarfing a lot easier than trying to get
: both tapered ends right on a long strip.

Someone (Vaclav? Nick? I've read too many books...) fills half the football first, letting the strips extend past the midline - then cuts those strips at the keel line - saves 'fitting' half your strips, and gives a nice, straight line. Works great - it's simple - and the football was the easiest part of the stripping, so far.