Have perused this thread from start to finish. Simply put, there are two preferences...heavily quilted and minimally quilted. After a lot of reflection I remain in the minimally quilted camp. My joy is in the design and colors. MANY years ago my daughter surprised me with a handmade quilt that I cherish to this day. She knew nothing about quilting, simply acut by hand (long before rotary cutters!) and hand sewed alternating cranberry print and white cotton 12" squares together which were then only quilted 1/4" from each seam line. The cranberry has faded and the edges are a little jagged but I still use it! But there is no damage to any of the stitches...they remain intact as well as the seams so it appears that heavy quilting is not, in fact, a valid reason for making sure the quilt stays together. I would venture to say the quilt she made 30 years ago has been washed over 100 times, spread on the ground for sunbathing and picnics, thrown in the car for emergency use, cuddled in during the cold winters here and on and on.