Could you do diagonal quilting? Find a 45 degree angle and draw a line. Stitch on the line and then about 1 1/2 inches on either side (use the quilting guide that came with your machine, if you have one). When finished that direction, do the same going the other way so you have criss-crossed effect. That would serve the same purpose as a meandering stitch. You really do need to quilt it, the fusible fleece is just mainly to hold it in place for you to be able to quilt it without having to pin or baste. And since it is a tote bag, it will hold up so much better.