I started out with a very simple and NON-DIRECTIONAL pattern, completely by accident. I think this is where a lot of people get messed up when they first start pp-ing. It really helps if you choose a pattern where the patches are not irregularly shaped. I made 2 Hunter's Star quilts before moving on to more difficult patterns. And I agree with using vellum; since it's somewhat translucent, you can hold the fabric patches up behind it to see how well it covers the seam lines.