I struggled with applique the first few times. I am slowly getting more accustomed to it. Stick with it, it can be lots of fun. Looking forward to seeing it.
I'm working on my second-ever applique project, a table runner with spring flowers on it. It's got some unusually skinny (think zero width pinch points in the middle), long pieces for the foliage to it, and giving me a bit of fits, but I'm pushing through. 5 of 8 blocks' through the fusing stage, 2 more blocks of fusible shapes cut.
Michelle