:thumbup: I got tickled just reading your post and agree that you are an excellent writer.
Are you sure you weren't spying on my first attempts at FMQ? I started quilting and FMQ this spring, so I am very green. Mom had hand quilted her machine pieced tops in the past, but I was new all the way around. Still have tons to learn. Won't live long enough to learn it all, but that's life.
I'm afraid I can't help a lot either, but with regards to the skillbuilder stuff you bought, ummmmm, I made my own. Okay, so it isn't necessarily as organized or as pretty as the bought stuff, but it worked for a newbie to FMQ.
I took some bleached/white muslin and a water soluable pen. When I saw a design I thought I wanted to FMQ eventually, I saved it do my computer. I've got a 17" laptop and some tracing paper. Opened the design in my computer (used the standard windows pgm), enlarged or shrank to fit and traced it off the screen using VERY LIGHT pressure and a soft felt tip so as not to screw up my screen.
If the design wasn't dark enough to see through the fabric, I went over it with a sharpie fine point marker on a hard surface (i.e, not on the computer screen!). Then I put the paper down, the fabric on top (right side up) and traced the design with the infamous blue water soluable pen.
Leave some space around the design and trace the next design on the fabric and so forth. When the fabric was "full" of designs, I layered it with batting and a backing (also used muslin). Played, swore and played some more. It's not perfect, but I got in a lot of practice, which reminds me I need to do some more practice swatches.
Originally, I wanted to order the skillbuilder fabric. I was going to order some for me and my mom (we're both new to FMQ, having just started this spring) and my mom informed me that she wasn't experienced enough yet to warrant the expense. Which made me wonder when would I be good enough to warrant that expense. Hmmmm. Do my own. If it didn't work, the blue pen would wash out and I could rip out stitches. Well, maybe except for the areas with 2000 stitches to the inch. Is it okay just to cut that out?
I have no doubt that the preprinted stuff is better, but for someone learning (me), the DIY version was a great proposition. I ended up drawing the design 3 times before I ever tried to quilt it. Not that some of the finished work looked like I'd ever seen it before.
I'll tell you what my problem is -- I want to fly when I can't even crawl yet. I enjoy watching Leah Day. She has tons of different free form stuff to practice. She also recommends using light thread on a dark background to practice. I got some chocolate fabric for that, then my mom "stole" it to use in a project. :lol:
I don't drink wine, but maybe my diet coke will do the trick? I've no doubt that you are persistent and determined enough that you will be a fantastic FMQ'er. When frustration eats at you and you're ready to chunk the entire thing in the wind, walk away. Do something else. You will not accomplish anything positive when you are frustrated beyond belief. Been there, done that.
Hugs,
M&M