the difference between meandering and stipling is with stippling no lines touch or cross...meandering is just an all over design, loop-d-loops, stars, hearts, flowers, what ever lines can cross, touch, meet, what ever. and free motion is just that...you are guiding the machine freely, not worrying about a specific pattern, just quilting happily away. as apposed to doing a drawn design or a pantagram
hope that helps...
don't sweat the small stuff...just make and do what you enjoy.