Hi everyone!

I'm working on my first quilt top. It's a very small quilt, for my cat. (She's 19 years old, and gets cold easily. What can I say? )

This is how it looks so far.

Click image for larger version.  Name: Getting-There-Small.jpg  Views: 29  Size: 61.6 KB  ID: 14119

There are 4 blocks. The total size, with the navy border, is 27" (without seam allowances.) I'm planning to make another border, with the lighter blue fabric that it's currently lying on, and the back will be pieced with that strip of Squared Squares (I think that's what they're called.)

I'm going to free motion quilt the entire top. (Gulp)

My question is, how close together does the stitching need to be to make a quilt that's going to be able to stand frequent washings? I'm using Quilters Dream Poly mid loft batting, which was what my local quilt shop recommended.

Should I "stich in the ditch" first, to stabilize it?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

The top isn't perfect by any means, but it's looking good enough to me that I'm really kind of terrified I'll quilt it wrong, and ruin it. Is that a common phobia?

Thanks for your help!