I practiced 4 or 5 times a week for about a month. Finally had the tension and pressure set correctly on the machine and knew the speed at which to move the fabric. Then tried charity lap quilts. After 4 or 5 of these I felt comfortable. I am still a beginner at this stage. Have FMQ some tablerunners. Nice to FMQ on smaller items that do not have the drag of a larger quilt. I have to stop and take a break when I get tired as it really shows when I am tired. I do not have eyelashes on the back anymore, but the size and shapes of my designs suffer if I get tired.