It depends on the batting you used. Some of the batting you buy has a scrim inside, and when there is a scrim you don't need to quilt as closely. Scrim is a polyester grid of sorts. When a batting says it contains 97% cotton, 3% polyester... it's the scrim that makes up the polyester part. Scrim is added to stabilize the batting through the years of washing, etc. It holds the batting fibers together. Hope this helps!
Christine-
http://quiltdasher.blogspot.com/