I bought some material with an animal pattern and used it to practice my FMQ. I could go around them and even follow the lines of the animals. Then I learned that buying a"supreme slider" made a whole world of difference as the fabric moved so much easier. Wow! The funny part is that my daughter-in-law came by the house and spotted that first quilt and took it home to hang on the wall for our new grandson. Funny, she thought that it was just great. See, others view things with more open eyes that we often do. I also found that using a wash away/air erase marker to mark a pattern helped me learn quicker. A friend who is very professional now suggested putting on some music with a rhythm and sewing to the beat - very even stitches every time. Hope that this helps. JC