practice is the key, I know. I'm not a long-armer, but what would happen if you put a large sandwich at the beginning of the quilt to use for practice before you get to the quilt itself. I know that the places I've seen attach the sandwich to be quilted directly to the leaders so they just jump into the job. How about adding a two foot attachment of sandwich at the beginning of the quilt with basting stitches on which to practice before going onto the quilt itself....then cut off the practice and use it for a dog bed, donation whole cloth quilt, etc.? Would that give you the practice immediately before the real thing to give you confidence?