I use a calendar that I cut up into the number of rows that I have. then I take a stick pin and put it on the top of the row, line them up or stack them and start sewing. When I have a couple of rows sewed, I take and stick them up on board to make sure I am sewing them right and to see what the design will look like. Then if I don't like it I can change it before I get the whole thing sewn and discover I don't like it.