This may sound silly, but the reason I'm hooked on hand applique is because I took a class that made just one block, and fell absolutely in love with the fabric. I had to buy enough to finish the entire quilt. I keep my applique project in my purse, along with the threads I'll be using. One tip I learned, and love to use, is the double stick applique tape. Once you submerge it in water, it is supposed to disappear. In the meantime, I can lay out an entire block, and slowly sew through the different layers as I am ready. The other pieces are stuck in place, so every time I pull out my block, I'm reminded how beautiful it will look when I'm done. Good luck!