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swycas wrote:

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I've been working on it for a while and it doesn't seem to improve--it's too fast, too tight, too uneven, and too out of control!

Well just as others have already said it is a matter of hours of practice and a teacher supervision but I could certainly add that the foundations to develope with time a good vibrato (not tight, not uneven, etc.) should lean on a proper arm movement. Perhaps it could help you this:

Hold on your left hand a soft drink can (not a fizzy one!) in front of you as if you were to drink it. Now shake it up and down (very slowly) as if you wanted to mix its content. Observe your arm movement: when your hand goes down your elbow goes up and vice versa. Your wrist and hand keep relaxed and aligned with your arm, as a whole.
While you're shaking it check your left shoulder and forearm, they both must be relaxed (use and feel the inertia the movement of the arm-can produces to perpetuate and stabilize this repetitive movement). Once you understand it try doing the same as above without the drink can (shape your left hand as a C as if you were holding it still) and speed it up (keep your shoulder down, your forearm relaxed). Reduce steadily the width of the movement. Note that the elbow width movement becomes considerably shorter than the hand one, very subtle, but still can be seen.

Now you must translate this kind of movement with your hand going up and down your cello fingerboard (remember not to tense -not to stiff- wrist and hand)