Who is this person that "took to it like a fish to water?" Id love to watch how she does it......

Well said and totally agree. I was kind of intimidated when I tried free motion quilting - just did straight lines. Got through it and it all worked out nicely and felt more confident. Lots of practice with any quilting, for sure!

I'm one to think that it comes easy to some people and not so much to others. As for myself, it doesn't come easily because I'm just so darn used to sewing in a straight line. Although someday, I might look back at this post and say " now I only do free motion quilting." LOL

My first exposure to FMQ was a class that I took on stippling. Hard as I tried I just couldn't get it and kept boxing myself into a corner and it was a big no no to cross over stitching lines. I also had an older machine with a generic hopping foot. I swore off FMQ that it just wasn't for me for years. I became quite proficient at doing curves and fancy designs using my walking foot.
A few years ago I bought a new machine with a wide harp. I started looking into FMQ more and started doing curves, loops, hearts and such and found that with the better machine and staying away from stippling I could do a decent job. I still can't go without some lines to guide me but it works.
Bottom line I think some shapes are easier for some than others. Practice does improve results. Don't give up until you've tried different shapes to find your rhythm.

I think practice is a big part of it--and not just on quilts, but while watching tv, riding in the car, etc, take a drawing pad and doodle, draw, sketch--and also get some quilting books that show you technique--it really does help. and just being willing to not be so critical of yourself--we all get better as we get more experience.

I thought my brain wasn’t wired for it as I just couldn’t get it like other people. I’m happy to say perseverance paid off! It’s so much fun if you can just get the hang of it! Biggest tip I can offer is to look where your going and relax your hands.

I agree. I could do a lot with my old Viking Rose but now that I have a newer Elna I have to fiddle with the tension, top and bottom, before getting my stippling to look OK. I have practiced a lot but still don't seem to have found a rhythm. I keep trying but sometimes my walking foot quilting does a much better, more reliable job.

I think it takes practice. One of the reasons is because none of us have complete projects laying around all the time ready to FMQ. So we practice on little squares then we grab a big quilt, wall hanging or whatever and it moves differently. So it is a harder skill to acquire.
I spend a lot of time piecing my quilts longer than I do FMQ and I haven’t mastered that skill 100% yet either.
How many here have stopped FMQ and moved to Longarm quilting (not the computerized program type) were you more successful?

I'm not sure whether I'm more successful, but I am much more comfortable! For me, sitting and doing FMQ was extremely hard on my neck and shoulders. I have long arms, and could never seem to get into a comfortable position while trying to move the fabric under the machine. So I splurged and got a longarm. It is much easier for me. AND, i don't have to do spray or pin basting anymore!

I have observed many people using a long arm for the first time. The ones that have never tried it or knew much about it grab the handles and go with it doing a great job then say this is fun! The ones know about machine quilting and how it is suppose to look walk up to one, get nervous and have a soft hold on the handles and then proceed very slowly have awful results then say Oh I this is hard to do. Be fearless!