I have embroidered several quilts and pieced some patchwork quilts. I would like to try some machine quilting that will show but don't know what length of stitch I should use. I have never tried free motion quilting but it sounds like fun.

It doesn't matter what length the stitch is set, when you free motion, your feed dogs are down and you control the length by the fastness or slowness that you move your fabric under your open toed darning foot.

As Jeanne girl said, it doesn't matter with FMQ but if you're doing stitch in the ditch or echo, it varies with the thickness of the quilt. At least it does for me. As a rule, I go with 2.5 but I might change it a bit if the quilt is really thin and go down to 2.2.

When stitching in the ditch with my walking foot, I usually have to set my machine at very long stitch length because the fabric seems to drag through and the long stitch comes out just about correct...sew a few samples first for good measure.

I was taught to set the stitch length to 0 when I free motion.. I set it to 3.5 when I machine quilt. :D:D:D

What a good tip! It really makes sense if you have an older machine where you cover the feed dogs instead of lowering them.

I used one of the decorative stitches with my walking foot, and the default setting worked great. I was using warm and natural betting.

Clem 55, tell me about the default setting, not familiar w/that. I have a Bernina machine.

I think stitch length is a personal preference. I like a little larger sttich when machine quilting and a small stitch when hand quilting.

I think stitch length is a personal preference. I like a little larger sttich when machine quilting and a small stitch when hand quilting.