Beverly: love your Joy Pig and the apple basket! Great Idea. I have found that to avoid puckers in machine applique is to use a stabilizer on the back. I also machine embroider so I have tear away stabilizer that I use on the back of anything I machine applique that does not have batting or backing on it. I just use scraps that fit where the applique is and then tear it off. Also, using an applique stitch instead of satin stitch will help with puckers.
Hope this helps with the next block coming Saturday!