I will back up what my Polish cousin says--an experienced coach/flying partner plus lots of flying time and focused practice is the fast track to learning pattern. A day or a weekend at a pattern meet will show you the difference between pretty good and very good pattern flying. While everyone likes light or no breeze for practicing new maneuvers, you've got to get out on breezy days and learn to fly straight lines and stay on track throughout maneuvers, upright and inverted, in any wind.

It is good to read when you can't fly, or something to do at night. A few excellent sites for flying tips are--

"Awesome Pilot" on the TroyBuilt Models site: http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/AwesomePilot.html
Mike Lynch's page: http://www.trivillagercers.org/news9507.html
good RCU thread: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_72.../anchor/tm.htm
Don Ramsey's "Maximum Points in Sportsman": http://members.cox.net/don.ramsey/

Indispensable is the Pattern site at nsrca.org and their links page: http://www.nsrca.org/hotlinksA.htm