Yes, there usually is a picture on the package, but with photo enhancement, position of quilt and the like, sometimes you really can get fooled. If you like the pattern of the quilt, just find different fabric. I very rarely buy a kit. For one, I don't trust that all the fabric is in the kit. Also, once you square up the fabric there may not be enough for the pattern. I've had that happen way too many times. Personally, I prefer to either use a pattern I already have or purchase a new pattern and buy my own fabrics. Most of the time, the kit fabrics just don't have the WOW factor I want in a quilt.