Your quilt is awesome. You should be proud. A couple things I learned... If you tie a quilt using square knots they will not come undone when laundering. If you don't know how to tie a square knot there are tutorials on the internet. For tying I use crochet thread. Its similar to using several strands of embroidery floss but just one strand to work with. As for batting, I finally discovered that Quilter's Dream "Request" batting is a wonderful, lighter weight batt that's great for warmer climates, like here in FL. I was complaining to a lady at a quilt show here in FL, that I loved using Warm and Natural but that my quilts were too warm for me to use and she told me she uses only Request batting. I tried it and I love it! I haven't used it for a tied quilt so you might want to go to their site and see if its recommended for that, or maybe someone else on this board will know. I would definitely recommend that you check it out. I also like the way it wrinkles when laundered, giving a vintage look and feel to the quilt.