I also find the drape of Warm and Natural too stiff. It also seems heavy to me when used in a large quilt. My favorite batting is Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon 100% cotton because it's thin and flat and gets softer with every washing. It is harder to find than it used to be, though; just ordered some from Harriet Hargrave's website. My second favorite batting is Hobbs 80/20. It is soft too, and a little puffier than MMBR. I would not recommend MMBR for hand quilting, but Hobbs 80/20 is great for either machine or hand quilting.