Tons of great advice and helpful hints here, I would add:
-Handiquilter has some great videos/tutorials and
- You can put a strip of newsprint or thick packing paper as if it was your quilt by taping it to the end arms of your frame. Then you can tape a marker to the area beside your needle and "practise" free motion quilting.
There is a device you can buy that is meant for similar practise but this is cheaper!
Here is the link to the device so you can get the general idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD6AErE386g
Good luck, and enjoy!