I'm a total newbie to FMQ also. I started a few weeks ago. I made a pile of sandwiches and practiced for a half hour each night. Finally I worked up the nerve to do some placemats. Then I did a Linus quilt. This weekend I did another one. My stitches are far from perfect but each attempt gets a little better than the last. I don't do any freehand -- everything is still following a stencil that I pounce on. I don't know if I'll ever have the nerve to do freehand.