Best thing I did when i bought my GracePro frame with a Janome 1600P was to buy the Pajama Quilter video, and follow her suggestion of using a white board and just drawing your designs over and over. It really imprints them on your brain and makes it easier to "go with the flow" with a real machine. My only disappointment was the machine itself, just not enough room to do much with, so I have sold it and am waiting to talk my DH into a Bailey 15". The answer is PRACTICE! I made a quilt sandwich -- plain muslin and some batting, and just doodled all over it. I've heard people do that with colored fabric then serge it into pads for their pets or for the vet or animal shelters, too.