I did it! I have started quilting the sandwich. Thanks for all of your help. I went ahead and SITD first because I had moved all the safety pins off the seams for that technique. I only have the vertical part done and will finish the horizontal tomorrow.
Then hopefully will go to the grid. I think I will stick with the vertical and horizontal using masking tape as a guide.
The only problem I had (other than looking like I was drunk and IN a ditch with my seamlines) was several times the top thread would go through to the backing. I am using cotton on the front and fleece on the back and I have pinned the quilt to death so I hope it doesn't pucker. The top thread is brown and the bobbin thread is turquoise. Every once in awhile I would hear a click in the bobbin and a stitch would get stuck and I would manually turn the sewing machine wheel. When I finished (and almost always near the end of the row) there would be a few spots with tangled brown on the turquoise backing. The first row I tore out. The others I trimmed up, brushed the fleece over a little and said "FORGET IT". If I continue doing this, the baby will be a year old before I get done.
But I am afraid it will make a mess on my binding and I will have to tear it out because it will show so badly. I have fooled around with the tension and it sews fine most of the time. Just about once or twice on every vertical line. My machine is a Singer 9410 - school model and is not very new but doesn't have much mileage on it. I really don't know.
I researched it a little on the internet and it said it could be the tension, material, needle, climate, dust, good grief!
Again, thanks for all of your help. You are wonderful. I will post a pic when I get done of my first!
Helen