I think part of the phobia with FMQ is that there are really two separate parts to it and you have to master both. The first, and sometimes the hardest, is figuring out the right combination of tension, thread, needle, bobbin thread and tension, and machine speed and fabric movement speed to come out with a nice stitch.

Once you master that, the second part, actually quilting a pleasing design, becomes so much easier.

I would practice but use fabric, thread, etc. that is similar to what you'll be using so you can get that nice stitch. There are a lot of resources here on the board to help you with your specific machine so that you can zero in on the right settings. Your local sewing machine dealer should be able to help you with that as well.

I am just too impatient to practice, practice, practice. As LyndaOH said above, you need to master so many techniques, and so, I do SID, shadow stitching or decorative stitching, where I can use my walking foot. All my projects tend to be 60x80, and easy enough to do on my home machines. Love the patterns of FMQ, but it is not for me. And I am fine with that.

If it helps - remember it isn't brain surgery and no one will die. You can always take it out if you don't like it.

You can't get good unless you practice. Start on a top for charity or a baby quilt or a table runner. You've gotta jump in and just do it. Yes, it is intimidating but Pavarotti wasn't the star that he is when he first started out.

It DEFINITELY takes PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, but you can still have nice quilts on your practice pieces. Try quilting blocks and joining them in the Quilt As You Go method. Then move on to larger quilts. I actually think I do better on larger quilts. I have a lot of quilt tops that are scrap quilts, so I practice on them. Occasionally, I pull out one of my quilt shop fabric quilts. If you aren't going to enter it into a quilt contest, it really isn't important if you have mistakes on it. You can always put a label on it that says you are learning to machine quilt and put the date on it. I never thought I would have a machine quilted quilt. Now I am not sure when I will actually hand quilt again! Good luck!

i do all my quilting because i just can't let go of the creative process and allow someone else to do it for me.

i also struggle every day with perfection. i put hours/days/weeks/months/ and years into the piecing and then the quilting and i just hate when it doesn't come out perfect.

by the time i finish a quilt i want to kick it into the living room and burn it in the fireplace.

i've found this to be a common feeling amongst all my artist friends.

on the bright side, once a few weeks or months have passed i end up loving the quilt and i don't even notice the flaws any longer.

so the moral of the story, jump in there and get those tops done. start with some simple designs and work your way up. choose the tops that lend themselves to simple patterns and save the complex stuff for later when your skills improve.

Used to - until a friend roped me into helping her quilt 200 charity quilts. It was good enough practice to knock the fear out of me.

This sounds like me. :-) What I can't just sit down and do it and it looks like Sharon Schamber? LOL

I'm taking a FMQ class in mid-November and am really excited. I've never tried it at home, but have several quilts to finish by Christmas and am hoping this class will teach me enough so that I can get them completed.

Yep!! So true!!!!