I consider my first block my 'test block.' If it's not right then I have all this fabric cut out, so......... I've go to make it work -- somehow.

Normally I don't. The one time I did, however, it was a good thing. The measurements they gave for one of the pieces was wrong. It truely would have been a bummer if I had cut all my pieces and then had to recut them.

I like the idea of test blocks of red white and blue.Could do that and donate it as a raffle for our local VFW.

Or Quilts of Valor. Love the RWB theme for test blocks.

I do when I really, really love the fabric and want to make sure I am going to like the block before I cut up all the fabric.

I jump in with all fours!

It has never even occurred to me to do that, but it's such a great idea!! Then you will have all those test blocks to use in other projects. I'm sold on the idea.

Nope, I just jump right in. In my gray cells I can see the end product. Now my mother-in-law when she used to make cookies, she would make a test cookie. If it's a recipe you have been doing for years and years what is the point? But that was her.

I've only done some colored pencil on graph paper "test blocks" to get an idea of what a whole quilt (or at least 4 blocks together) would look like. It helped me eliminate a few variations that looked good in my imagination, but terrible when I drew them out. I was so glad I hadn't wasted any fabric.

lol!! that's me for sure!