Hi Tracy, I'm a complete novice at machine quilting so maybe not the best person to advise but anyway... I go top to bottom of the ditch I want to stitch in, through the middle then work outwards either way, always from top to bottom. Then the same thing crosswise. If you baste really well and keep everything smooth as you go, you shouldn't get wrinkles. :D And then you have a knot at each end - my machine doesn't tie off so I hand sew them in at the end.