Zinda

You can invest in a stitch regulator for some sewing machines. Very pricey, but just an idea. I recently tried one and what a difference. Some times using a doddle pad and just trying to make different "drawings". I've tried to quilt feathers for years - taken the classes from some of the best feather quilters and have finally realized I will never be able to do feathers. I'm sure there's a different explanation, but I am better with circle movements than line and angles. Some times having music on helps, some times not. Some times depends on my mood.

crocee

100 hours to be GOOD, many, many more to be an expert.

Pagzz

It absolutely gets better.

Are you sewing on a DSM, longarm ? Also if you could write or post pictures of what you are trying to do perhaps we can help more.

Practice on paper helps a lot. Pick a design and get comfortable with it on paper and then get comfortable with quilting it.

What thread are you using? some practice pieces with high contrast thread on muslin will show every wobble but the same design with matching thread on printed fabric will look better. Thicker thread will sit heavier on the quilt and show up more.

Sandygirl

Play will decorative stitches a "grid" quilting too. Patience and practice. I am not good at it either but I don't practice it much.

sandy

qwkslver

I started on muslin and then moved on to dog quilts. My dogs are not critical of my work and love my mistakes. Muslin is cheap to work with and you might find a use for your creations. They work great for placing between your cookware and nice dishes to keep from scratching/breaking them. Hang in there, it comes to you. I watched a lot of You Tube at first. And relax. My first designs were so close together I lost the quilting effect, just squashed all the batting flat. You will get it. Don't worry, be happy.

PaperPrincess

Also, it sounds like you are discarding your samples? Just put another piece of muslin on top of your sandwich and have at it again! What exactly don't you like about your work?
I would also second the idea of taking a class. Don't know where in MI you are, but I took two classes on FMQ. It really is a skill that benefits from classroom instruction.

MrsDerf

I'm in Kawkawlin just 5 miles from Bay City. I've shopped the quilt stores and purchase d a class online. I realize it will take time but I don't want to waste all these hours if I don't own the skills it takes to be able to quilt. I really appreciate all the encouragement from all the good people on the Quilt Board. Thank you all and I will keep on trucking.

IrishNY

Not to be discouraging but the Outliers book number is 10,000 hours for true expertise. If you do something for 10,000 hours, the author says you will truly be proficient at it.

That doesn't mean you need to practice for that long to be reasonably good. Be patient with yourself and don't compare your work to others. Just watch yours for progress and you will get there.

Jackie Spencer

Remember when we were in grade school, and were learning cursive. How many years did it take to perfect our hand writing? You will get there, it just takes time, don't be so hard on yourself.

Skratchie

The thing is ... you DON'T "own" the skills right now. You won't "own" them till you learn them. Maybe you meant you aren't sure you have the ability to learn the skills, which is a different question, but you don't own them right now. I only consider myself as having, or owning, a skill once I've reached a point where I feel confident that I can recreate the end result, so it may just be a terminology/interpretation thing.

As others have said, it takes time to learn to do anything. To do it well takes a while longer, and for some, to be proficient can take a lifetime of practice. That said, we tend to be most critical of our own work. I did some FMQ in my last completed quilt and I thought it was ok but my mom thought it looked good. The person who bought it from me thought it looked fantastic. So it really is a matter of perspective.

And if you're throwing away your practice pieces, can you really say you're not improving? What are you comparing today's sample with to say that? I don't keep every single practice piece I do, but I do keep at least one every couple of weeks and put a date on it. I can take the samples out and compare them and see what is getting better and what still needs work.

Finally, if you're not consistently practicing the same design, you might feel like you're not making progress. I practice stippling all the time, because I figure that if I can master that one skill, I can move on to other stitches with more confidence.

The main thing is, giving up isn't going to get you where you want to go, so I'm happy to see that you've said you're going to keep trying. As I said before, you may not "own" the skills, but I'm sure you have the ability to learn them. :-)