Originally Posted by feline fanatic

A flimsy is an unquilted quilt top. Termed as such because compared to the completed, layered, quilted quilt the top is quite flimsy in comparison.

Edited to add that by dictionary terms it is quite fitting. Until the top is quilted it can't be used so hence "ineffective". Washing an unquilted top is flirting with disaster, you may take a tangled mess of strips and threads out of your washer so it is ill advised, hence the definition of weak, without material strength is also quite appropriate. Also think of how flexible an unquilted top is. It really is quite flimsy in structure like a thin kind of paper.

I think the term flimsy is quite applicable for an unfinished top. It is not meant in a derogatory sense but in the literal.