I DON"T use my stitch regulator on my Bernina. I prefer to FMQ on a very inexpensive Brother machine I bought at Wal-Mart! It's how I learned and I feel more comfortable doing it that way.
The only advice I can give you is to practice, practice, practice...
I also found that working on lapsized pieces helped alot. I made placemats for most of my family members for the holiday season--after that, it was pretty easy to move to bigger items. Best of luck!