Welcome! Sorry to hear about the flooding.
I have a long arm now but before I did I quilted some very large quilts on my domestic machines. The info I am posting is from when I used a domestic machine.
As for the quilting, I much prefer spray basting over pinning but I did add pins along the edge, every 4-6 inches, on a larger quilt. Then I marked with Crayola washable markers just enough lines to make the correct quilt sandwich. Be sure not to iron the lines and wash the quilt as soon as you are done quilting. Puddle the quilt, wear Machinger tight fitting quilting gloves and start in the center and work outward. Take frequent breaks, spread your fingers wide and flatten the quilting area under the foot every time you need to go to a new area.
Oh I much prefer to use a darning/quilting foot over a walking foot but do use a walking foot for stitch in the ditch.
Last edited by Annaquilts; 01-10-2016 at 08:37 AM.