I know these are really basic instructions, but since you said you're new to quilting it might be helpful to go over the most basic things to get started:
(1) If you are quilting straight lines, you want to use a Walking Foot or a Dual Feed Foot on your machine & your feed dogs need to be UP. You should have a straight stitch plate on your machine as a zig-zag plate can result in the fabric bunching underneath as it gets pulled down through the wider hole. You want your stitch length set between 2.75-3mm.
(2) If you are quilting curvy lines, you want to use a Darning or Free Motion Foot on your machine & it's usually best if your feed dogs are DOWN. You should have a straight stitch plate on your machine. You want your stitch length set to 0.
Either way, pull up your bobbin thread before you start sewing so the thread doesn't form a knotted nest on the underneath side. This is not a great quality video, but it focuses on this one skill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDERq4I7l-Q
Here are some other good tips:
http://www.quiltersclubofamerica.com...irdsnests.aspx