I use fleece all the time for my backing, but, I also don't do FMQ. I do SID and not real dense quilting. If you are going to do FMQ, and do it densely, fleece is not a good choice. Fleece will not move as easily under the pressure foot as cotton does. But, since we live in a colder climate, my family loves the fleece for it's warmth. The panel is beautiful and I can see why you like it. I have also pieced fleece for backing and don't have trouble with that. I glued down the open seams, and then did the SID, so it wasn't so bulky to quilt. Hope this makes sense to you. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.