Years ago I bought some cutable plastic and using a paper template I had done (but now I think I would buy some of that wavey trim that's for sale every holiday) and drew lines on the plastic and cut it out. I have used that design on many, many quilts. I'm not a fan of stippling, I like something less sewn and softer (although I've been totally awed by some tight fancy quilting many times -- it's just not for me).

I use a chalk "pencil" to put the line on the quilt fabric and like to find a seam at which to start that is near the middle. I always quilt middle outward, just to be on the safe side and not have a wrinkle! On lap size quilts that I quilt as I go (using 2-sided fusible batting (called "fleece" - I don't know why) I only quilt in the direction not quilted already. Happy sewing!

unfortunatly i do not have any experience in machine quilting i do all of mine by hand... just finished my king ufo (there is a pic of it in the picture section)so I hope to see it when finished and at telling of of it turned out and how well it worked how every you quilt it :)

It took so long to load the above picture that I missed my chance to comment on it. If you hit your enlargement system (mine is "command+") you can see the large waves coming down thru the quilt. The side-ways seams are quilting-as-you-go seams. It is not intrusive and it strengthens the quilt... this one is going into a bus for a boys choir (which does a lot of traveling to "gigs").

Hope this gives you another persepective. Sorry these letters aren't together!

I would go for it!

Start with a simple straight line design. Stitch in the ditch or on a diagonal. Relax and breath and remember no one will be examining it up close when you are done. Any mistakes will not show. Start in the center and work out and remember the whole quilt does not have to be the same motif. Try different things are you get more confident. Use thread that will blend in with most of the fabric

It was a simple cross hatch and came out good, considering!

If I were you, and I could afford it, I'd let someone do the quilting. My gut feeling is that it will get done, not frustrate you, and you'll be THAT much more inspired to make the next one. I quilted my own for years, have taught machine quilting, and now that I can afford to send out the tops, I do. I didn't think I would want to give up the quilting, but I do!

I took a class on machine quilting but I still do not like how it looks. I would practice quite a bit before you start on the real project. I only do straight-ling quilting myslef and send my quilts out to be quilted for most of them.

Send it out! If you insist on doing your own, start with something small to see if you like it and can do it. I've been making quilts for 40 years or more and learned a long time ago that the best thing for a top I've spent lots of time and money on is to get a professional long armer to quilt it. froggyintexas

She is right that's really a big quilt for a regular machine. Can't say it can't be done but it's a big job especially for your first attempt.