I'm just starting my first big quilt, and am also wondering how on earth I'm going to quilt it. I've done a lot of searching on this subject, and out of all the different possible solutions (quilt as you go, making the quilt in sections, etc), the one that appeals to me the most and that I think I'm going to try is to make the top all one piece, like normal, same with the back, but divide up the batting only, since that is the bulky part. As an example, divide it in thirds, sandwich the quilt with just the middle third, and quilt that third, up to maybe an inch from the edge of the batting. Hand stitch another section of batting to the first one, and then quilt that one. Then the last one. This way, you only ever have 1/3 of the bulk to the right of the needle at a time. I was thinking of even doing it in fourths.