I used to be intimidated about things also, The people on this board are great and only encourage you never down you. I play the piano at church and not very well just the basics and I was always intimidated when others that play were present until one of them told me that I am the one God put on that stool and that he thought I played great.
Just keep on keeping on.
We all have different skill levels in all things we do.

In order to improve following quilting patterns, you might try using a fabric with a design (like a panel) and practice stitching on those lines. It takes time to learn to guide the fabric under the needle. Practice before you start on your project. Good luck! Stick to it! You'll be glad you did!

Practice doodling without lifting your pencil. You will be surprised at how many things can be drawn this way. It is OK to go over lines you have previously drawn. I have drawn flowers, animals, suspension bridges, etc, and I don't think I can draw!
If you can get it on paper, you can translate that to your free motion work.
I always suggest starting with simple shapes, like curves and loops. Straight lines are harder to do using free motion, and are best done with a SID foot.
If you have an old machine which does not drop the feed dogs, simply set your stitch length to zero. This is what I do on my vintage Featherweight.
Not all darning feet will be welcomed by your machine. If she doesn't like one, try another.
Be sure to loosen the pressure on your presser foot.
Good luck, and show us pictures.

Thanks - I just spent more than an hour watching tutorials!
And Jazz - welcome! And thanks for asking this question!

My husband cut a piece of wood 1" x 9.5" x 5/16" which I use to make straight lines while doing free motion quilting. The edges are not rounded, so the foot will not ride up over or under the guide. You can put sandpaper dots on one side if desired. I lay the board against the free motion foot parallel to the line I want to stitch with the needle positioned on the stitching line. I move the board with the fabric keeping it butted against the foot. It works great.

Long-arm quilters use acrylic guides which you can see through. That kind could work here, too.

Jane, that is a very interesting idea. Do you move the quilt away from yourself, or toward you, or sideways, or all directions? Also, how far is your needle from the edge of your table? And lastly, do you work sitting or standing?
Thanks,
Stephanie

I usually move it both toward and away from myself. I can't move it sideways because my foot is irregular-shaped, and it doesn't work well that way. My machine is surrounded by a table, so the needle is further from the edge. I think you need a wider flat surface surrounding the machine to make this work well. In other words, you need an acrylic table or the machine should be in a cabinet. I do all my quilting sitting down, since I do not have a long arm with a frame. I use a Viking Designer 1, Baby Lock Quilters Professional, and a Nolting mid-arm. I push the fabric under the needle with all of these machines.

[ Benartex makes a wonderful preprinted fabric. It was developed for the backing of the quilt (quilt from the back) But it is great to practice on. It is white and off white and comes 108" wide and the design lines wash out when finished. It is a meandering feather design.[/quote]

I have not seen that before. Where do you buy it. LQS, online?

Interesting. I use my vintage Featherweight on a dining table. The surface of the table has been raised with a couple of sheets of foam insulation to equal the height of the bed of my machine, so this gives a large surface with a lot of support. Ever since I discovered SID feet, I have enjoyed SID. Still, it's nice to learn another way to do it!

Another good source for user friendly machine quilting aids, is Pam Clarke books " design with Lines" Simple and beautiful designs anyone can do. Happy Sewing!!!