I also love applique and all kinds I took a 2 day work shop from Harriet Hargrave a lot of years ago and loved her method also did one from Eleanor Burns from her book quilt in a day different method but fun and another I have done is to cut my pieces a little larger and stitch on the traced line and they turn very easy using the stitch line for turning raw edge certainly has its place but I to like to carry hand work and I am thinking of stating a hand applique one right now I am hooked on those row quilts and I am doing them using heat and bond light using my applique blanket stitch for my quilting You might also try an applique sampler I took a class on tha many years ago and can't remember the name of the book but it was hearts and each heart was done using a different method then you can fond out which one you really prefer just dive in and have fun I have always like sun bonnet sue and there are many of her patterns for free.