Zig-zag quilting
 

I'm wondering if anyone has used a zig-zag stitch when putting the quilt together instead of a straight stitch. I was planning on stitching in the ditch, but when I do that I can never seem to get it right in the ditch so thought I would do a zig-zag. Do you think this would work or is it a big nono? I've never seen it done before.

Try it. I think it should be fine. When I stitch in the ditch it isn't always perfect either but when the quilt is done, nobody is going to notice anyhow.

Nono for what. If it's for your please, sure go ahead. For competition, it's not advisable. So it really depends on what you intend to do with the quilt.

It's actually fairly common to use various stitches in place of the straight stitch. Use your walking foot for best results. This introductory video shows quilt samples with a wide variety of stitches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf9LgT9IrBE

The quilting is meant to stabilize and keep all three layers together. Zig Zag stitches are used on knit clothing so they can have some give and not pop the stitches when they are stretched. Different results are achieved according to how wide the zig zags are and how much space between each tip. So not really knowing the answer, I decided to Google "Can a zig zag stitch be used to quilt a top and the backing of a quilt?" Try it. It would seem the answer is yes.

I say go for it!

I've often used any of the variety of stitches on my machine with great results! Go for it!

Yes, I've used it on several quilts as well as several other decorative stitches on my machine. I think it adds interest to the quilt. Try using variegated thread too for some fun and interesting quilting.

Yes, use any stitch you like!