I feel really ashamed of myself, after reading your story. The first time I tried FMQ I felt like I had never sewed, and I've been sewing for 45 years, it kind of felt like an insult to me. I've practiced some but I give up pretty easily. The bad part is that my machine is doing everything right, even though it is a 25 year old Bernina without many bells and whistles at all. I didn't have to mess with any settings, and the stitches were great, when I could make my hands do what they were suppose to do, which wasn't often at all. I have always hand quilted and I love it, but as we all know it takes a long time. I have sent my quilts out to a LAmer but haven't been very satsified with the jobs they've done, I can't afford the best, and it seems that "you get what you pay for". I will try to be as persistant as you and put in my practice time. It sounds like you are doing everything right...if you can get your machine to do it's part.