I use decorative stitches in my quilts frequently, it's become sort of my trademark!

I do it all the time. It works just fine. I just wish I could use some of the other decorative stitches but the back side would look funky.

I love to use the serpentine stitch. It's forgiving...you don't have to be quite as precise.

I agree with everyone, go for it! I use decorative stitches a lot (love the serpentine stitch) and usually grab a scrap of the fabric and try it out and if it looks good I proceed. It is most important to have fun while quilting!

My first few quilts were made on an old Singer that didn't do a lot, but I could do sort of serpentine stitch if I made the stitches big and wide enough. I made several using that on the borders after I tied the centers. The quilts are still together... and they didn't look hokey at all! (IMHO)

Anita in Northfield, MN

My thought is always use what you like!!!! Thats what I do since I watched Alex Anderson on T.V. that was her thought as well.

How I wish I could " fuss with the length". I have 4 machines and not one of them will let me adjust the length of the serpentine stitch---it locks at 2.2.

Funny You should ask this. I have been thinking of using them as well. But, being the type person I am, I have been stitching out all of the built in stitches, about six inches of each design, onto fabric sample pages and numbering them. It is very hard to tell the size and design from the images that are so small on the card they provided.

I am just about half way through the built-ins on the bernina 440. Geez, I didn't realize how many were in that machine until I began this project! But, believe me. I was surprised at the size of some. And now I have them for later reference.

I like the look of the decoratives stitches on a lot of quilts. After all, I paid for them - so I use them!

Yes! I have used decorative stitches. I used a nice curly-cue (Spelling?) stitch in the binding and it turned out looking like a picture frame.