Depending on where you store the wood, I believe 1/4" thick wood dries relatively quickly if stacked correctly. You still have another 10 weeks (probably until the end of October) to dry the wood. If you sticker it outside under a black tarp and pay attention to it by opening up the tarp when it is super hot and covering it back up before it gets rained on (or the dew sets on it) you should be able to have it ready for this winter's project. If you had it just cut into boards first and stickered them like that, it would still be pretty dry and when you cut the wood to 1/4" and stacked it down cellar in November it will probably be ready by the first of the year.

: The basswood I've handled seemed to be ideal. Nice even grain and easy to
: work with. -- But -- How big are your trees?

: You may want to dig back a couple of weeks to find the thread on chainsaws
: and making lumber from trees/logs. Trees with a trunk diameter of less
: than 10 to 12 inches yield more sawdust than lumber, but since your final
: product is going to be 1/4 inch strips, that may not be a major problem.
: with care you should be able to use even the small diameter trees that are
: "pruned" from your woodlot so as to enhance the quality and
: health of the stand of trees.

: As I see it, your biggest concern right now is the length of time it takes to
: dry the wood before you can rip strips from your boards. Unless you have
: some way to kiln dry the boards, it is a little late to make strips for
: use this year.

: PGJ