I like it. We are always our own worst critics. Take a deep breath and do some more. Go with something smaller until you get more confidence. You'll get it.

It is hard to see something that you worked on so hard not looking perfect in your eyes. A couple of questions, what kind of batting did you use, and did you wear gloves? I found that a cotton batting was easier to quilt with and wearing gloves made a world of difference. I took a class on quilting on your home machine and the instructor told me to give it gas (sewing speed) and move the fabric slower. Also she had us practice drawing the pattern over and over before we started sewing. Remember the pattern is just a guide and we don't always have to stay on the line. I think it looks great for your first attempt. And your husband is right (this time, LOL) practice does make a huge difference.

Great ! I have not gotten the courage to try==but I intend to soon. But I am going to start with test squares done on my embroidery machine. Put them together for a doggie bed or something, I will.

And if you don't want to keep it, there are probably plenty of people in your town who have nothing and would cherish this. The warmth and love are there regardless of the quilting. And by the way, it passes the "from horseback at a gallop" test, so way to go. I'm still too chicken to try anything like that.

Sorry, not a winner for the ugly qult contest. Your FM looks good. As the others have said you are being to hard on yourself. It's hard to FM with a regular machine. Believe me I know. :-) But it's fun. I'll have to try the soap trick. I have a problem with meandering. I can never figure out where to go next. lol I'm still trying to get the sewing speed figured out. My wallhanging look better then my quilts. Smaller is easier.

Just how I felt at my first efforts, except I nearly passed out because I was holding my breath while the machine was going! But hey that's much better than I did. I gave up & didn't try again for a while, but as Denise said, drawing freehand squiggles etc really does help. Use a sandwich about 15" square and draw it into 3" sq. "compartments" by pencil. Fill a square at a time before moving on. It is much less daunting to fill a small area and easier to gain control. My cat has lots of practice squares to sit on!
I still have to pysch myself up when starting on a new quilt and I'm okay once I get going - it's the first couple of mins until you relax which are hard. Keep going!

Yours looks far better than my first attempt! The washing machine and dryer, combined with cotton batting helped disguise my first herky-jerky meanders.

The thing is you learned from it! If you attempt again there will be things that you will do differently....everything requires practice and you really did do a good job for your first time. You are being much too hard on yourself. I started with cheater panels to get used to how fast or how slow to go, they are far from perfect but good enough to give away and make someone happy! Keep going you will notice a dfference with your next project! :thumbup:

I agree with sewsew don't be hard on yourself I have one that is much worse. Yours looks good to me. I keep saying that I will have someone do mine with a longarm machine but I keep trying to do it myself. And I see what I do wrong. But Keep trying I think one day we will say ah finally it looks good.

I know those bullets you are talking about. I think yours looks good compared to the ones, I've tried and cried with!!! :oops: But like they say: "Practice, practice, practice!" Can you read minds, hope you can read mine right now :mrgreen: I have been trying to keep at it bless my daughter and my other family members, who just gush all over me. They love me so much, but they are such liars. :P I love quilting so much and I will practice practice, practice or I'll take it to the lady who has used her long arm and done some of my quilts, I didn't want to ruin. Quilt today, for tomorrow you may have to clean, yuk. :-D Beth