I thought PP was very confusing until I watched Carol Doake's video (bought with coupon at JoAnn). I decided that I'd learn and follow her method even though I knew that you didn't NEED to have the card or the "Add a Quarter" ruler etc. since it enabled me to develop a "rhythm". One friend told me how "stupid and unnecessary" it was to do it that way but those "extra tools" have saved me a lot of time and frustration so I feel they more than paid for themselves. Could I do PP without them now? -- almost certainly -- but I still use them anyway.