Choosing a quilting design
 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zeXbsvXM2AJd7yVb9I finished a disappearing 9 patch quilt top.I have bever "quilted" my layers together,I just tied them but am anxious to try the real thing.
I need some ideas on what design would look best here. Stitch in the ditch is one option, I have a template that is wavy like free motion, but have never done any of them. Any ideas would be appreciated!

A picture would be helpful.

I tried to write a few suggestions but quickly decided it's too big a topic. So......As a total novice I suggest a good basic book about quilting the sandwich.

I could click on the link and saw your pretty quilt. Love the colors you used. I'm no expert, but I would say on such a geometric, regular design, a swirly or curvy quilting pattern would be good.

What a well behaved quilting cat -- still in the picture but not on the quilt!

For a slightly fancier than in the ditch, I really like the serpentine stitch if your machine has a setting. "You" are just sewing straight lines, the machine is making little half loops on your behalf. Because it wanders from side to side you don't have to have quite perfect seams or guidance.

I added a picture of one of my donation quilts done in a simple serpentine grid. Hope the stitching shows up!

Hi, I typed a long answer and my reply didn't post...so here is a quick answer. If you have access to quilting class, that would be the best place to start. You will gain confidence in your skills and learn so many tips in tricks on how to quilt. You will choose the design for your quilt based on your skill level. Not all designs are easy for beginners. I took a class and the teacher stressed to practice your chosen design on a scrap quilt sandwich first before starting to quilt on your quilt.

There are several online tutorials on free motion quilting. That would be a good place to begin. Free motion quilting is like any thing else: a skill learned. So as copycat suggested practice whatever design you choose on a scrap quilt sandwich first. It takes a lot of practice to become really good at free motion quilting. Or at least that is my experience with it. Best of luck.

Lovely top! Are you hand quilting? using your domestic sewing machine? borrowing someone's longarm? I like Iceblossom's donation quilt pictured above. If I was longarming that, I think I'd try for an allover design of some sort, maybe emphasizing the diagonals so I don't have to mark anything. Try a small practice block/piece first: it can help you decide. I sometimes go from "This isn't working" to "Hmm, not so bad." to "Hey, this looks great!"

I am a fan of cross-hatching. I use a serpentine stitch and sew in a straight line. Hides any crookedness! I use the blue painter's tape about 2" wide and line up my presser foot with the edge as I stitch. On this wall hanging, I did this, but used a double needle when stitching.
If you have never used painter's tape, do not stitch ON the tape. Ask me how hard it is to remove then!!

So many good ideas! Thank you! As for the cat, that was the look I got AFTER chasing her off the quilt!
My machine has over 100 stitches so I can check them out.I have a walking foot, and was definitely planning on practicing before I settle on anything as I'm out in the sticks so unless online,there are no classes here.
I have spent alot of time watching YouTube and other tutorials-the internet is a font of useful(and useless) info!
I will be working on the border today and hopefully will be "quilting" this weekend. Thank you for your help, this board has been so informative. I learn something on any thread! I'll be sure to post the completed piece.

Nice effect with the double needle work!

Lovely quilt!

The most important thing I learned when starting to machine quilt was, you have to go easy on yourself and not have expectations of perfection. Excellent idea to do some practice first!

Personally, I'd start with something simple! You'll need some kind of guidance system if you're going for straight line quilting (drawing lines, using tape, etc). I would suggest starting with some slightly wavy lines, which you could do free-form, placed somewhere within your larger squares. I would stay away from stitch in the ditch, it's not that easy. Doing outline quilting (a short distance away from the seam) is easier than in the ditch, imo.

I totally agree. I'd do something simple for your first quilt. Quilting a larger quilt on a domestic machine with a small throat can be a challenge so definitely do something simple. I did echo quilting (quilting close to the seams) a lot at first. It's easy and effective.

Ditto!!

While in the early stages of learning, stay simple and remember, less is more!

Choose your batting, so that it does not have to be closely quilted.
Each brand/type will tell you what the minimum quilting distance is.

When you are ready for something a little more difficult, start with something smaller than a big bed sized quilt. Larger quilts add extra challenges ... weight, bulk ... and stuffing it through the small opening of a domestic machine! Thus, better to start with a wall hanging, or a small baby quilt.

Good Luck ... ENJOY the process, and don't beat yourself up when something doesn't go perfect in every way!

Perhaps this circle meander would look good, and be very forgiving regarding perfection. My sketch isn't perfect either. If using a home sewing machine put your stitch length to 0 and lower the feed dogs. You may need to get an embroidery or hopping foot, and use some scrap sandwich and practice.

Ditto to what Joe's and Cash's moms said. Stitch in the the ditch is HARD when you're starting, I think. Any stitch wavering from the ditch jumps out at you in a way that won't happen if you're not trying to stitch on top of an exact line. Both wavy lines and "echo stitching" are my friend (I'm still a beginner).
My first big quilt was a disappearing 9-patch too, different design from yours though. I'll post pictures here and hope the quilting is visible. This was my first attempt at machine quilting and I did diagonal lines so there was no chance whatever at having it be "off" a ditch. I used painter's tape and it took some tweaking and constant checking to make sure the tape was straight. Even with help of a ruler to lay the tape out, it still tends to "bow" out and not be totally straight. I was pretty happy with the overall look for a first attempt at quilt-by-home-machine though. The tiny mistakes are completely unnoticable when you stand back.

Just Get It Done Quilts (Karen Brown) has a video with a number of easy beginner-friendly quilting ideas using a domestic machine:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Uv5rCcvH4U
My favorite is the big swooping wave - you only have to mark one wavy line and all the others echo that line more or less. I'm terrible at free motion quilting so I love that this design is curvy but uses a walking foot so the stitches stay uniform.
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I forgot to mention, and want to agree with pamelor, that once you finish and wash the quilt, you will not see your mistakes. It will look great.