Wow, thanks everyone for all the great advice, I really appreciate it. I am just getting into crafty-type things and this one isn't even going to be a "real" quilt in that I won't be doing blocks (which makes me feel a little bit like a trespasser here since it pales in comparison to what you all do!); it's more a baby blanket with batting inside. I will be spray basting the first fabric to the batting, lying the second fabric right-side down on that, stitching most the way around and then turning the blanket right-side out, and then top stitching around the perimeter. And then the tacking throughout the top to secure the batting. Love the idea of using my hand width as a guide for spacing the tacks, I never thought of that.
And I will head to Walmart in search of some quilter's safety pins since that seems like a good way to go.
Thanks again for the advice, I really appreciate all the answers!