feline fanatic

I can so relate to your post. I just got my LA this summer. I had one practice sandwich loaded on it and quilted the bejeepers out of that practice piece. I tried all the things I wanted to do on a real quilt, stencils, panto, pebbling, spirals, animal doodles, fm flames, flowers, leaves and vines. By the time I got done with that one yard piece I was really chomping at the bit to load a real quilt top but I too was afraid I might ruin it. My solution was a top that had languished as a UFO for 10, yes I said 10, years. For a top to be a UFO that long I had finally come to the realization that I just didn't like it. So I figured what the heck, I don't like the top who cares if I ruin it. It turned out great! Quilting it made all the difference for me on that top. Still not crazy about the colors but not liking the top gave me the freedom to just go crazy on it and not worry about ruining it. That old UFO gave me tons of confidence and my intimidation of my LA is completely utterly gone. In fact I feel so confident I am quilting someone elses top right now and it is coming out great, well at least I think so. You always have that nagging feeling that your customer may not like it as good as you. Anyway if you don't have a top you don't care about start haunting your local thrift stores or good will. You would be surprised at how often an unfinished top turns up there. You just have to go for it. Here are pictures of that very first quilt I did on my LA. I am now on #3. You can do it and don't be afraid of ruining it. I am sure it will turn out great.