BE36 PVT PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC WHILE OPERATING VFR.

Narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THIS FIRST SOLO FLT WAS TO REPOS THE AIRPLANE 35 NM TO MY HOME ARPT WHERE ATIS RPTED 2600 FT SCATTERED; 4000 FT BROKEN; AND 10 NM VISIBILITY AT 15 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. A FAST MOVING FRONT BLOCKED THE DIRECT RTE; SO I CLBED TO 10500 FT TO DIVERT AROUND THE FRONT AND OVER CLASS B AIRSPACE; WHICH AT THE TIME HAD CLR SUNSHINE AND GOOD VISIBILITY. WITHIN 8 NM OF THE DEST ARPT; I TURNED AROUND TO RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT BECAUSE ATIS WAS NOW RPTING 6000 FT OVCST. THIS IS WHEN IT STARTED TO GO BAD FOR THIS VFR ONLY PLT. CLOUDS WERE FORMING ALL AROUND ME AND MY WINDSCREEN BECAME COVERED WITH ICE. SQUAWKING 7700 AND REQUESTING HELP ON 121.5; ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO CLB ON TOP TO 14500 FT. THEY FOUND ONLY 2 VFR ARPTS; THE CLOSEST WAS 200 NM AWAY AND A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS MADE THERE. I LEARNED THAT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND SOONER TO RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT AFTER SEEING THAT THE DIRECT RTE WAS BLOCKED. BUT MORE IMPORTANT; I LEARNED THAT THE MIND STOPS FUNCTIONING WELL WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PANIC. ALTHOUGH I TURNED ON PITOT HEAT; I FORGOT TO ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT; WHICH I HAD PROMISED MYSELF I WOULD DO IF I EVER GOT INTO THIS KIND OF SITUATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE LOW FLT EXPERIENCE HRS DURING THE PRIOR 5 1/2 MONTHS AND THE NEW AVIONICS.