Have you really cut the background block 9"x9"? It seams a lot to have an extra 2" al around to end up with a finish 7" block. I understand teh applique tends to "eat" some but that much?
I forgot to let you know that I was like crazy yesterday looking for the book. Finally in a minute of inspiration I remembered that I had it in my night table and before the last get toghether with some friends a week a go I "cleaned" my messy night table and hide everything in a bag inside the closet. There it went my AOTH book! Incidentally before I remember were it was I literally destroyed my sewing room looking for it. All my maggazines and books are on the floor!! What a mess!!! What am I going to do now? Spend hours tiding it up or start my first block? Guess...... my block!! LOL