Project Prep

As with my writing, I like to prepare everything I need for a quilting project in advance. This allows me to make creative decisions up front and get a mental idea of what I want to do. Here's an example:

After I made the patchwork foundation for March's block, I put both copper and gold Holographic Sulky directly on it to see how the thread colors worked with the various silk patches. I assumed I'd go with gold thread for more contrast, but weirdly it looks a bit greenish against the silk colors I've used. So I'm going with the copper. I also tried out the other embellishments I thought I'd use this month in the same fashion:

Once I've decided what works for me, I put everything in my little project box:

I know I won't use everything I've selected, and I may go and get some additional materials as I work and find I want them. But this preparation stage really helps me stay organized while I stick to my vision.