First I think you need to figure out what works for you as far as supplies. It's a learning process. I have purchased items that make fmq easier (or so they say); some worked and some have not.
I agree with the previous poster that you need to keep the weight of the quilt off of the area that you are quilting on. You need to break the big quilt down into manageable working areas and just focus on the area. I fmq a king size quilt with my domestic sewing machine; some parts of it was not fun because of the bulk of the quilt. Once I got out from the center, it was fine. I just wanted to challenge myself and be able to say that I did quilt a king size quilt.
And I have read and agree with that you should practice more on quilt projects that just sandwich pieces. That being said, I always have lots of sandwich pieces to warm up on or try a new idea before I go to my quilt.
The last piece of advice is to breathe and relax when quilting. People get so tense about the quilting process and the shoulders start to rise. Also, don't forget to take breaks....get up, walk around, stretch.
Good luck!
Last edited by 21quilter; 01-01-2013 at 05:31 AM.