I begin in the center & work toward the edges. I usually roughly divide my quilt up into sections & quilt by sections. I wouldn't sew the edge of the quilt before I did my stippling. I would pin the edges though & then after your meander or stipple & before you did the border I would go back & repin the edges to adjust for any changes in size due to your FMQ. That's how I have done it & it works for me!