Here's the thing - no one but you has to see your first effort, second effort, etcetera. So play away.

That is a great quilt! Is it flannel? If so, I want it! 😁

Great quilt! Good for you!

With LA, I started with charity quilts

I think almost everyone who gets a longarm/midarm setup sits frozen in fear for quite a while! I needed some form of structured approach and also did nothing but practice on sandwiches, making little progress and too fearful of ruining a top UNTIL!!!!

Until I found Michael Quilts on Youtube. His series on ruler work was the perfect "in" for me. I got his practice top, bought every single one of his rulers for my Christmas gift to myself, and followed along, then used a charity quilt to practice all the designs and begin freehand work.

His instructions on loading the longarm and how to approach basting were fabulous. Check his site out!

https://www.youtube.com/@michael.quilts

You are absolutely correct. What is the worse that could happen? It's only fabric. That's why my motto is: Never be afraid to try something. Remember amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic.