Creating a machine quilting sampler provides practical experience -- without the fear of ruining a real quilt -- and gives you a nice stitch reference for future quilting projects. A sampler will also help remind you how far you have come as your machine quilting improves.
The sampler sandwich can include machine quilting that is done with the feed dogs up using your regular presser foot or walking foot. Those feet work best for straight lines, soft curves and to machine quilt around some templates.The machine quilting sampler can also include your first attempts at free motion quilting.
You can also use the sampler to practice different methods for drawing quilt designs onto your quilt. Try chalk pencils, pouncers, tissue paper, transfer paper, freezer paper templates, disappearing markers or any other marking system that appeals to you.
Use a yard of muslin for your practice quilt top and another yard for its backing. Place thin batting between the two layers of muslin and use pins or a fusible to baste the layers together.