A walking foot and a foot that has the flange on the edge helps alot.
Sometimes I enjoy the quilting process and sometimes I hate it. It all depends on how the top pieced, was it a horror from the beginning or did it go together easily? I find that my attitude can be a major part of the whole process.
If I have bad vibs about a quilt, and have the time, I put it aside for awhile to clear my head, then reapproach it with a better attitude. Sounds silly, but for me, it works.