I always read the batting package directions, but I have never made a quilting design decision based on the batting. However, I almost always quilt closely, because earlier in my quilting, I had a quilt I made on my bed and pulled the quilt up and heard thread snap and break. It turned out to be my quilting stitches, but it reminded me that there is stress on quilts that we don't think about. Also, I mostly use pantographs and if my quilt has a lot of smaller pieces, then I look for a denser quilting pattern. I don't want any extra stress on all those seams. If it is larger squares, with bigger pieces in them, then a more open pattern is okay.
However, having said that, I know some quilters who stitch in the ditch for everything. If you are using big squares (12"), then these exceed even the W&N instructions.
I have a cheap quilt that I like and got from Wally World before I started quilting myself. The quilting was all linear stitches across the entire quilt going only one way, about every 2 to 3 inches. When I washed it, the quilting bunched up between every one of those lines. I have been debating as to whether I want to rip all those stitches out and redo it. Probably will, one of these days. Hubby bought a comforter from WM that he fell in love with. The quilting on it was linear and had a 12 inch span. I knew I didn't want to wash that quilt. But it got dirty....thank you puppies! Before I washed it, I put it on my long arm and added more quilting between each of the linear lines and it washed beautifully.