I bet when you get started it will be so much fun you wont find time for anything else, Enjoy.

Me too; I bought a new embroidery Machine and left it in the case until I could get in for a lesson...in the last year, I have used it for about 3 hour total! My eyes had problems, but are now better, but I am 'quilting'...sewing quilt tops together!

I feel your pain!!!! You will have to plug it in and start somewhere, sometime. You are at home. If you mess it up, who other than you will even know. I would be willing to bet that once you start, you will have an awful lot of fun. Jump in there the water's fine and not too deep

I had the same reaction when I bought my fancy quilting machine. It sat in the box unopened for nearly four months because I was so intimidated, I could not open it. I finally got brave one day, decided to "bite the bullet" and open it. I am so glad I did, easy instructions, with great customer service when I called the dealer, and even better service when I called the manufacturer (Brother) that the learning was easy. Go ahead, you can do it. Please don't wait as long as I did. I sure felt foolish when I realized that I was afraid of nothing...change can be hard, but wasting quilting time is not Ok! Jump in and "just do it".

Every failure teaches us something, so failure is just a step on the way to success.

Failure can be delayed, but it can never be avoided. So fail, learn, and continue.

In a year or so, you will look back at your 'fails' and think that they aren't so bad...

Just so you know, I actually took all the quilting out of one quilt that I quilted. It was really horrible - not kidding - unbelievably bad, the quilt was useless when it was done. But I learned so much from quilting it, that I don't consider that a failure. A few months later, I quilted it again and it came out very nicely.

Did I mention that I am an optimist?

I am always ready to use a new machine as soon as I get it.
Just do it.

fayzer,

I'm the very same way with my Handiquiter Sweet 16 Sit Down quilter. I went to Houston Quilt Festival and took 3 hands-on classes - I have no excuse. So I will be anxious to hear your progress.

Susan

I got my new Bernina 830 in October a few years ago. I had tons of Christmas projects in different stages of being completed. I let my 830 sit in the sewing cabinet and it watched me complete all my projects on my Pfaff 2170. But my DH warned me that if I didn't start using it after Christmas, it'd go back to the store. Well I arranged to take the classes that were offered and since than I love it and the Pfaff is just a backup. Go for it, you'll be sooo happy you did!

I was like that about a car once. I drove it home and it sat in my driveway for over a week before I drove it again!

Sit by your machine for awhile and then start slow, with a practice sandwich as others have suggested. It's just the newness and the strangeness of it.

I just bought a new mid arm/long arm. A block Rockit 14+. It is due to arrive next week. For practice work I went to our local Hancocks and bought 10 yards of cotton at $.79 per yard. I am using some old fleece blankets for the batting. After I practice on this fabric I will cut it into large squares, sew the edges and donate to the local animal shelter. I think that will provide low stress practice with the joy of knowing the material will be put to a good use!