I've known several quilters who kept a stash of coordinated fabric that they used solely to make a sample block of any new pattern they thought they might like. If it worked as they wanted, they went on to make the full quilt of whatever fabrics they wanted. The sample blocks went into a separate box until they had enough blocks to make a sampler quilt. If they weren't pleased with the end result, the quilt could be donated or given to someone who did like it. Joyce in Delaware