Welcome from Southern California, and thank you for your questions. I am often in a quandary about how to quilt a top. I usually make art quilts and use quilting to help bring out features in the quilt, not all over quilting that would confuse the picture. I want to explore and learn ideas in quilting books I have to expand my too limited repertoire. I have a quilt (about 20 X 50) above my bed that irritated me because of the quilting. It's of leaves blowing in the wind, some with beads, all with a "feathered" outline in paint. I like the design a lot, but seriously think of taking out the quilting so I can do a better job.
On more traditional quilts I tend to do the same flower and leaf pattern, free motion, but I'm very tired of that and need to learn something new. I'm looking forward to other posts in answer to your questions, so thanks again!