I've seen where you can buy paper stensils to put right on the fabric and you just follow it, I've also been told that if you ever doodled as a child to start making those swirl's etc on paper and when your comfortable doing that start out on small practice blocks. I haven't tried it yet myself I am afraid of screwing something up. Our LQS once a year holds free motion classes so I may go that route when I'm ready.

Someone else mentioned the Craftsy website I recently got an email about that particular class I'd check that as well it looks like it's about a 10 lesson but I believe you need to purchase it.

Check out Leah Day and lots of practice.

http://daystyledesigns.com/

I started my FMQ by following the designs in a preprinted panel, then took a class and started to practice on the grids and straight lines, progressing to stipple/ meandering.

One thing I can definitely recommend - that I learned from a FMQ teacher : Take your finger, and practice moving on the material the pattern you want to do. Do it as many times as you need to in order to get your brain to move the same way your hand/ finger is moving. Then go to your machine and go for it. She used a white board or pencil on paper to get the same effect.

The memory of doing the pattern with your finger will translate to your brain as you maneuver the material and your FMQ will go much smoother with less frustration. I've found it helps me figure out how to get into the pattern and get out of the pattern with a great deal less frustration.

Finally, practice on only one machine! I have three set up that I could use and I found I got really frustrated going from one to the other - just couldn't find that sweet spot! Sticking to one machine, I gained a great deal more confidence much sooner because I could measure my progress - I wasn't fighting the quirks of each machine.

I am nowhere near an expert, but since starting about a year ago, I am MUCH better than I was before.

I FMQ on a Bernina 1530, not a long arm. I probably will never be able to make feathers with my machine, but that's okay. I meander, make loops, cross hatch, and SID. I started on potholders, moved up to a small quilt for the dog and some wallhangings. I sew because I like to make things. Have fun practicing.