Once I started doing FMQ, it was many months before I liked how my stippling looked. I did much better wtih loops and either stars or hearts. Once I got that down, I noticed that my movements were more smooth and stippling looked better. There are ways to help disguise your little irregularities, such as picking a thread that blends with rather than contrasts too much with your fabric (front and back), busy fabrics also distract from the quilting a little. Solids will show more goofs than prints, etc. The biggest thing is to get out there and try it. I like to work without patterns when I can, it's very liberating.