I find it frustrating because I have the perfect machine, the perfect set-up, and all the tools to help (gloves, slider, etc) and I can get really nice stitches a lot of the time...but then some really bad ones too! Or the quilt slips when I start up for a jog in the stitch line...or I run out of thread, etc. so it's never perfect! I haven't been at it too long but I look at all those beautiful quilts out there and wonder the same as you...how long?!?!