I'm a bit of a 'Have A Go' quilter. As in, I'll have a go at whatever takes my fancy, lol. If it works, great, if not, oh well.
Although saying that, I would never attempt FMQ on a 'proper' quilt top until I was happy that I could do a decent job. That's what practice sandwiches and dog quilts are for!!!
Of course this is how I ended up with multiple UFOs - I bit off more than I could chew at that point in my skill set and had to put it aside until I figured out how to progress. I am gradually working my way through some longstanding UFOs right now and finding it very satisfying to actually finish some off...
I would say that I regard quilting as a hobby, and don't feel any particular pressure that "I should do X, even if it doesn't interest me, because that's what quilters do". So quilting techniques that do not appeal to me are simply passed over without guilt. Same for pattern styles that do not appeal. There is far too much that *does* appeal (and too little time to do it in!) for me to waste time forcing myself to do things I'm not interested in. Again, for me quilting is my hobby - it's supposed to be fun for me, not grinding work. And I am not someone that enjoys being scared. YVMV
