I guess we have said a lot practice, practice, practice, but forgot to say, that once you are confident with one size, increase the size of the quilts you practice on. At first you can start with just squares, and when you feel secure, start making small real quilts. I know few of us have that time, but is worth it. Imagine how many Christmas gifts you will have done by the time you get to a queen size. When I am doing a big one I start at the center, and say to myself, it can only get easier from here. I stitch around the center and move away, unrolling the edges as I go along. I keep checking to make sure my back is straight and there are no folds. One awful thing here is when you run out of bobbin and have to remove the monster quit to change it and load it again where i was. At this moment you wish you had a front loading bobbin. When I have to remove the quilt I put a pin with a jingle bell on it to find the place where I was.
Maria