Civil War Brides Quilt

I am choosing colors for the CWBQ (I will be using this acronym often in the next few months).  The CWBQ is an applique project, relatively daunting in size and complexity.  The pattern, by an Australian woman, is modeled after the Bird of Paradise Quilt made during the time of the Civil War presumably for a marriage, but the groom square is missing, so it is supposed that the marriage didn't occur.  No one knows why or who put all the work into the original quilt.  The original quilt is in the American Folklore Museum in New York City, a definite stop if I ever get back to New York.  I will be using the pattern as a guideline.  I'm making my squares slightly larger and want to include a house, groom, vegetables, trees, and a cornucopia, in addition to the flowers, birds and nests, animals, fruit, and bride included in the pattern.  I have had this pattern for months, but the time never seemed right to start it, but now is the time.  It will take longer than anything I have done before and I'm nervous about being able to maintain momentum, but if I don't start, I won't ever finish, right?