quilting on your domestic machine is kind of like patting your head, while rubbing your tummy...it can be done but you need to practice....With quilts it is your machine goes as fast as you can and your hands go slower. We tend to want to them to go at the same pace. If your hands go too fast you tend to get toe catchers and jerky lines, if you go too slow you get uneven stitch length. So the solution is to practice a lot, however I don't think it would take a year. I practiced on quilt as you go scrappy quilts, the blocks are easy to maneuver, the scrappy-ness hides boo boos and if you do get a toe catcher just loop around and stitch over it, toe catcher no more. I am not great at it but I am much better and I can do full size on my machine with out too much cussing and swearing. Things I have found helpful, I have a brother with an 11"harp which makes shoving that big ol' mess though the opening, it is amazing what a difference two inches can make. And I just love the auto thread cutter. It is not a fancy machine, just a straight stitch only for only a couple of hundred bucks but worth the investment in my neck and peace of mind. I piece on my old pal a Bernina 440. I also use a supreme slider mat, and gardening gloves with latex on the palms, I do cut the finger tips off to be able to feel the fabric. These tips may not help you, but you will find your balance. Try out all the tips and keep the ones that feel good to you. Good luck and keep on keeping on.