Jeanne, the operative word in your question is "should". I think there are no shoulds in quilting, except that you should enjoy yourself! I have done both, but generally I like to throw in my own creativity by changing patterns at least a little. I do the same thing with recipes and many other things in life. Rare occasions, like the D9P I'm currently trying for a swap, I try to follow exact directions, and keep messing it up. They came out 12.5" before cutting, so now I'm stuck with just using the 9 patches, or starting all over. Everyone has their own strengths and challenges, so just enjoy!