I have been practicing on my mid-arm machine. I have used old sheets and blankets from estate sales. I do buy the solid color sheets, and use the blankets for batting. You can get them VERY CHEAP I paid about $1 for the king or queen sheets, and $2.50 for the blankets. When I finished the first one a fellow quilter saw it and insisted that I bind and keep it -- as it was my first project on the mid-arm. So I did bind it and love it. Last week my daughter was over, and asked me if she could have it, as she really liked the way it looked. I told her no, as I have become attached to it as a first project!