I haven't heard many references to "tying off" a quilt. That is the way I was taught by my grandmother, but then, she was not an avid quilter. She did more knitting, crocheting, etc. When I had my children she helped me with baby quilts and we tied them off. Several years ago a client asked me to renew one side of a counterpane that his grandmother had made, and she had tied it instead of "quilting" it. Just wondering if anyone still does that!