You will love, love, love your long arm machine! A tip - instead of practicing on a top you've made, why don't you get a cheater panel - or just a couple of yards of fabric and practice on them. That way you if you don't like it, you haven't ruined a perfectly good top! I took a week's classes on mine and we bought 2 yards of a patterned fabric and 2 of a solid. Used a varigated thread and had fun quilting. It's still one of my favorite projects!