Stitching in the ditch is great for someone who cannot afford to hire a long-arm quilter (like myself), and wants to quilt their own projects. I also like echo quilting a 1/4'' from the seams.
I agree with the others.....free motion takes lots and lots of practice.
The Maine Quilt Show is next weekend, and quilting stencils is on my list of things to check out. Maybe then, I can spread my wings and delve into something a little fancier than the ditch.