When I make wallhangings that I don't want to do I lot of quilting on (for example, if I make a wallhanging with a snowman, I don't want to quilt over the snowman), I use flannel for batting so it doesn't matter how far apart the quilting is. I buy the flannel on clearance at JoAnns and it doesn't have to be quilting flannel. Having a batting gives the wallhanging more body and it hangs nicer. I also prewash and machine dry all of the fabric and flannel. If the finished wallhanging ever needs to be washed, I use cold water and hang to dry.