I am doing a big stitch quilt right now. Most of the quilting is 1/4" from the seams, which means I can follow the seam allowance line and am not stitching through many layers. However, I pieced the backing with many seams. In those areas I do a poke and pull method, and it is working fine. I am using wool batting, and that probably helps to make things easier.
Good luck with your project. I think you will be happy if you decide to do the "big stitch".