Book excerpt: Machine-quilting pro Lori Kennedy has taught hundreds of quilters how to start and, more importantly, how to improve their machine quilting. Now she's packed her vast knowledge, and more than 150 up-close photos, into 25 hands-on lessons you can turn to anytime you need guidance. Each lesson has a practice session and questions to help you evaluate what worked and where you may need a bit more practice. Whether you stitch your way through a lesson a day or save them for weekend quilting time, you'll soon be building skills and confidence, and quilting your projects with ease. You'll learn: Why it's important to start doodling (page 19) How to prevent drag or resistance when quilting a big quilt (page 44) When to mark, and ways to avoid marking pitfalls (page 72) How to create focal points and contrast with your quilting (page 116)