Also, and please don't be offended if you are NOT that much of a newbie, but it was years before I knew what the *&^(*&%^ walking foot was for. It could have saved me so much aggravation if someone has told me!
So, if you are using your home machine, and not FMQing- are you using your walking foot? Makes all the difference.
(And again, if this is too basic, please forgive me.)