I've had my longarm for about 4 yrs - I had the same problem - I didn't use mine for the first 6-8 months - I was just petrified that I would do something wrong. Finally I started practicing on muslin - then I used groovy boards for a while - those are wonderful but they are expensive. I am just starting to feel very confident with my fmq skills - I watched videos, read books, etc - It all comes down to practice, practice, practice. I took a class on Craftsy with Angela Walters - Machine Quilting Negative Space - I loved it - it really worked for me - I love my fmq so much more - I also purchased her first book that was a huge help too. Good luck and practice.