This site gives lots of great examples for using panels -
http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/techni...jects_ss1.html and if you do a search you'll find lots of other creative ideas. However it all comes down to your panel, the number of separate design elements in it, their sizes and number. It is a headache for me when I try to use a panel, and yet some of them are so cute that I can't resist them. I usually turn to the web or books and magazines for inspiration, and then I use EQ7 to finalize a design. Good luck!