I love doing the Bargellos. For my first one I jumped in with both feet and made Malinda's Heart in queen size, for my granddaughters wedding. It turned out great. I had never had a design board, due to lack of wall space, but my husband found a childs easel and covered it in flannel for a small design board. I found it useful because if you have the wrong square it will show up imediately. I would put up about 6-8 strips and look it over before I sewed the strips together. I had a small 11x14 cardboard that I proped up by my sewing machine with a swatch of each fabric pinned to it. I used a post it note over each swatch with the number of each fabric. I printed off the pattern and marked each step off as I went. It took a while to pick all the fabric but the LQS were a big help. I am making another Bargello at this time for another granddaughter who is getting married in August. I can't remember the name of that pattern, and too lazy to run up stairs and check on the name of it. I find them really fun. Need to keep your strips orderly.