the very first quilts i "knew" were the ones my "grandma on the farm" made. i slept under them in the upstairs bedroom--my favorite is one i still have--thirties feedsack and fabric, done in a bowtie pattern. the batt was thick grey wool, and it was tied, not "fine quilted". that method preserved the height of the wool inside, making the insulation factor that much better for that cold old house. i have three of her quilts--all three were tied. i think it was a habit that came with her from sweden, where warmth in the winter was prized over the "pretty" factor. two of those quilts were heavy enough to keep a 5 year old in bed from weight, alone! i still tie fluffy quilts for the grandkids--they love the poof more than pretty stitching. when they get older, the quilting will be prized more than the fluff...