Hmm...
Need more options on skill level!

I weld OK for what I want, and others seem happy enough with it to buy the stuff, so I must be doing something right...

Learned through the community college/night classes.
Took more than one season of classes all with the same instructor.

Seems to take a year or so before you get things all working together for ya, including design/prep/technique/cleanup/grind/finish/etc.

Unfortunately, there's no cheap way into this hobby.
For good, reproducable results, on a part-time/occaisional welding, it really helps to have good equipment: gloves, auto-helmet, grinder with all the bits, metal working tools, and hopefully a gas shielded MIG capable of 1/4" steel in a single pass.
That's been my (Miller) experience...

..and really work on the finishing. A 15amp 5" grinder is your friend!