Maybe you would want to use one of the feather circle patterns for the squares. I am working on one now and using that pattern the plain squares. Looks pretty good

I've never done much more than SID but this was what I was thinking. I think a grid might made the big squares look too boxy and something circular or maybe a large flower/leaf pattern might look good.

Keep in mind that I hand quilt the majority of my quilts...I would place a cable like design in the sashing strips and outline the stars. In the larger square blocks, I would chose a design that fills the blocks and do them all in the same pattern to have some consistancy in the quilting. It is a beatuiful quilt and I will be waiting to see how you quilt it.

I made this exact quilt for my daughter who had just gotten her first teaching job. In the stars I quilted daisies, in the "rectangles" I quilted words like pray, hope, love, faith, laugh, family... and in the large square I don't remember! Yikes-it hasn't been that long, but can't remember! Anyway, she loves it! :)

I'm not a quilter, I tack them out. Yet the dressen plate pattern may look very nice in the big blocks. You have such an elegant quilt. beautiful job.

DITTO

WOW!!!! That is Beautiful.

How about a grid in the tan areas, and a shape (heart, star, moon, hand, flower, etc?) in the large areas?

I used a stencil like kuiltkrasy suggested.

I just love your quilt!! It is simply elegant! Don't worry about how long it will take, just go one area at a time, and it will be done when it is done! The quilting is self-reinforcing- when you see how additionally cool it makes your project, you just want to keep sewing.