I am a vintage nut. So far I have finished about 10 quilts that have been handsewn tops. I have bought over 300 blocks so far, and that might be an gross understatement. I just bought 10 of them 2 days ago. The most important thing I can suggest to you is to wash them. They are really dirty even though they do not look it. Be careful of the reds, they do bleed easily. I will soak them in laundry soap in my kitchen sink one by one to see if they bleed. Then I let them sit in a bucket of oxyclean/laundry soap for a day or so. Sometimes I have to change the water several times. I have always done this and I have never been unhappy with the results, the blocks come out so much brighter without all that dirt and it is easier to block them afterward. Right now I have about 25 blocks in my freezer because I didn't have time to iron them when done. I usually put them all in a dryer and dry them until almost done and then I iron them. I absolutely have a 'thing' about these vintage blocks, I always thank the maker who is unknown. Good luck with whatever you make. I have found that when I put these blocks together, I usually use solid colors and they have turned out great.