When you do find your foot, do NOT practice FMQ on a quilt top! Especially if you are pressed for time. You need to get some practice time in on scrap sandwiches. There are lots of videos out there to get you started. Do a search on FMQ on this board and there are lots of tips out there. For many people, it takes a bit of time to get the hang of it.
For this beauty, I would do straight line stitching, an "X" across the squares is a great suggestion!