I am glad you jumped on the FMQ wagon and your potholder is great! My first attempt was a small baby size quilt. I just did random stitching all over and I think I used about 3 or more spools of thread. I got lots of practice moving the fabric; I learned to wear nubby garden gloves to save my upper arms from aching; and I just played with it. When I was done and it was finished, it was stiff as a board and another lesson I learned was...don't quilt the lines so close together. :-) But it was a learning experience and once I washed the quilt, it softened up some. I still consider myself an advanced beginner and nothing I do will ever win prizes. But I make quilts for warmth and because I enjoy doing it and that is what matters to me. Thanks for starting this post and keep us up on your next FMQ project. :-)