dunster

I just finished fusing the bear applique from Bigfork Bay. I have been searching on the board, and it looks like most of you use a narrow zigzag stitch with clear thread to secure the raw edges. I had planned to quilt this on the longarm, which of course doesn't do a zigzag (but I can make quick turns in any direction, so that is kind of like a zigzag I guess). So my question is, have any of you quilted something like this on the longarm? I'd love to hear any and all hints on how to do it successfully.

I'm tentatively planning to use a wool batt (leftover pieces from another quilt). I don't know if I did this right, but the top is laid on top of (and hopefully fused to) plain black fabric, then there will be the batting, then the backing. Do I need to stitch the raw edges down before I put all those layers together, or can I quilt through everything at once?

I enjoyed doing the bear, so now I'm starting on the moose.