When I made my first quilt I just did it. My daughter (the math genius) figured out an Irish chain for me and I quilted it with my machine. I knew nothing of LAQ or FMQ or the feed dog up/down or special feet or puckering backs. I just created my own stencil and quilted it. That quilt is still the best one I have made. As I got more into quilting I "learned the rules" and couldn't get the groove. I now know to go back to the idea of the first quilt and just do it the way that works for me! After about 10 years getting better again!