I constructed my first this summer using a pattern I found in a quilting magazine. The blocks were 8 1/2 inches with a 7 1/2 btting. I made mine of flannel and it is very cozy. My first was 56 blocks with 7 different colours, each colour had it's own quilted design. I am now helping a friend make one qith 10 different colours. We have been having problems getting 10 different colours to all go together though. So as has already been said, you get to choose how many colours you want but remember it may be easier to go looking for fabric and buy it all together at the same time so that they will all match.