I'm machine quilting a quilt (Downey, Quilt for kids) for the first time. I was told to set my stitch length at 3.0. Now that I look at it, it seems like the stitches are too close together. I only have the borders left to quilt; do I use the same stitch length I started with or use a longer one? What stitch length do you use for sewing machine quilting?

finish with what you started (the stitch length).
i usually set mine to 3.0 for doing quilting in straight lines.
i think that my default stitch length is shorter than that on my machine.

CHanging it for one section might be noticeable. I would finish how you started. I usually change my stitch from 2.5 to 3 also for SID quilting and that is a good length for me.

I like to stitch on 5. Would that be a reason I am breaking needles or am I just hoping for a quick fix?

Finish it how you started it. A lot of the time the stitching length is controlled by how fast your moving the material under the needle. Are you using a walking foot? Next time you start a project to quilt, make yourself a sample sandwich, and check all those things out. I always do this, I make a 9x9 sandwich, and quilt this to practice and check everything out, then I have a nice potholder, I save them up and give them as christmas gifts. Check out daystyledesigns.com she has a lot of info on her site.

I like to stitch on 5. Would that be a reason I am breaking needles or am I just hoping for a quick fix?

Could be...5 is very long. I like 2.5 -3 for quilting and for piecing around 2ish.

Not sure why stitch length should lead to needle breakage. Are you forcing the fabric through? Are you using needles that are too thin? Are you using a walking foot? The only time I break needles is when they hit something they shouldn't.

This is a good idea. I do my piecing at 2.0 stitch length and I did the quilting at 3.0. I just thought the stitches looked to short at 3.0. I was using my regular 1/4 inch piecing foot and stitched on my marked, straight lines, kind of a cross-hatch. I just checked my user's guide for my Viking Designer SE and it does not show a walking foot as coming with my machine. If I'm just following straight lines, I don't have to have the feed dogs down, do I?

For straight lines I would leave the feed dogs up. It's the same stitch length I use. I wouldn't change it now.