Applique Pattern

My next project is an applique quilting kit: a wall hanging of appliqued sea turtles.  I have not seen what this looks like in person, and the photo on the kit is too small to make out details.  The instructions seem to describe that the shell is one piece (and it kind of looks that way in the photo).  But the pattern clearly multiple pieces for the shell.  I like the look of separate pieces (but wow! they get pretty small with the little turtle).

First up, I need to copy and cut template pieces.  There's enough fabric to cut individual shell pieces, just not the way the instructions describe (another reason I suspect it's one big shell).  A lot will be too small to zig-zag stitch the raw edges, so I'm likely to straight stitch instead (alas, no blanket stitch on my Singer Graduate). 

The fabric is all batiks, all pretty colors.  This will be an interesting project - something new for me to try.