If you think you would like the quilt tacked (sort of like tied) you might check your sewing machine to see if it has the feature for sewing on buttons. Then just stitch your corners or whatever with that stitch and omit the button. Some machines have a small motif like a daisy or circle that could be used in the same way.
Sounds like you have put a lot of work into this baby. I would love to see a photo when you're done.