I just completed 4 lap quilts with cotton on the front and fleece as a backing. I didn't put batting in it. These were for my quilt ministry quilt and were going to children in hospitals. I pinbasted all 4 quilts first and then began machine quilting. I free motion quilted the first one and it didn't give me any problem whatsoever. My problem is that I like the texture of a cotton on cotton quilt with batting and the quilt I finished was squishy and soft and fluffy. So after I finished quilting the first one, I told my daughter that I was taking apart the other 3 and putting cotton as a backing. My daughter very wisely told me that just because I didn't like the squishy feel didn't mean a little child wouldn't like it. I decided to take her advice and the quilts turned out really cute.