I am currently making a quilt without batting. When I do this, I use either a printed lining so block stitching will not show through or a darker lining. It also makes a reversable quilt. As for it being a suimmer quilt, that is OK, but seems almost as heavy without the batting, depending on what batting you use.
During the pre-WW II conflict and even following, it was almost impossible to get batting. Either there was none or too expensive to purchase. To my knowledge, that is when the quilts with no batting started. I can remember my GM all wool top with dark flannel lining. no batting, which was tied at each corner. Warm? you betcha!