The best FMQ tutorials I've found are from Jeanne Harrison. She has a group on Facebook: Machine Quilting Tutorials with Jeanne. She also has many tuts on youtube: Quilting with Jeanne. Good luck!

I am right there with you, Jingle. If anyone is interested, leah day does a bunch of tutorials on walking foot quilting. I won't put a link here, because I think it should probably go in Links and Resources, but, if anyone is interested, you can find them with Mr. Google. Lots of free stuff.

Do what makes you happy, I've seen some nice straight line quilting!!

Same here! Though, as for so many years I only did 2 or 3 quilts (at most) in a year, that doesn't equate to much practice. I have to say that it is only very recently that I have begun to feel I really have control over my FMQing (I'm talking simple meandering - though I have occasionally ventured out with curly q's and a type of flower). And, I find myself enjoying it more (before I think I felt intimidated and let that cause me stress). This time I found the rhythm relaxing.

In fact, I now want to spend time branching out and practicing something different on sample sandwiches. And - I would like to learn how to straight line quilt. Have no idea how I would be at that, but finding that I like the effects of straight line quilting mixed with some FMQing.

I use the walking foot and mostly straight lines or a decorative serpentine stitch for quilting. I have attended two classes for FMQ but the left brain gets ahead of the right brain. Not great results.

A recent quilt was done on the embroidery machine. It was fun to learn a new technique. Perhaps I will revisit FMQ classes in the coming new year.

I was like you, frustrated for years. I kind of feel like you really have to have that aha moment and reaaly get you hand and machine speed down. Thats why many go get stitch regulators simply to never master that simple step. I even got one and realized i was going faster than the regulator and my stitches were no better when i finally mastered the speed which took like 4 years by the way i found out my stitches actually looked better without a regulator imho. It was an expensive lesson to learn

I love this board. It gives so many resources. I am book marking this because I have a couple quilts to do and am not good at free motion either, but there are some good ideas in this resource to think about.

I've done most of my quilting with a walking foot. I've used my embroidery feature a few times to do the quilting, but haven't liked it as well as the walking foot. Takes a lot of time to hoop and rehoop. I've been doing more with fmq for the last couple of years and am getting a bit better. I've forced myself to use it on smaller projects this year. But I can't say that it is really enjoyable for me, I do get somewhat tense with it, but again it is getting better, both the result and the anxiety.

I mostly FMQ because its quicker for me than straight line quilting with a walking foot... and I'm too impatient to straight line close together, like many of the modern looking quilts that I admire. Don't short change yourself because FMQ isn't your thing. Everyone has their gifts and limitations. FMQ happens to be something that happened easily for me, but patience ... does not. Celebrate what you do well, and don't beat yourself up over what doesn't.

Thanks for this great site. Gives so many quilting options.