Everyone is different, but I have received or heard this advice from free motion quilting instructors in online classes, face to face classes, blogs, tutorials- every way used to instruct: muscle memory is critical. I doodle in a spiral notebook when I am out, or use a small white board and dry erase markers at home. The things I want to try to free motion quilt I draw over and over and over before I start practicing on my sewing machine. I know it seems like just one more step to the final outcome, but for me it really makes a difference.