Just finished piecing the top of a crib quilt using the Moda 5 Funky Monkeys. I plan to applique 1-1/4" red rick rack on top of the brown middle border. Since I'm a newbie, my quilting skills will probably limit me to SID around the blocks and perhaps stipple the border with a medium to large meander stitch. I have only used Hobbs 80/20 batting in the 3 quilts I've made, but was thinking of using a 4-5oz polyester batting to make the 5" red and cream squares puff a bit. Now I'm worried that the polyester batting may be TOO puffy and I might not be able to handle it when I FMQ the borders. Any thoughts or suggestions on whether to use the polyester or Hobbs 80/20?

I find the higher loft batting a little more difficult to work with than lower lofts. Maybe buy a small amount and make a practice sandwich to see how you like it?

I have used low loft, and added extra pieces of cotton batting here and there to make certain elements puff up a bit more. Cut it approx 3/8" wider than the area you want to puff up. Quilt around the squares and then run a stitch like a serpentine or stippling around the edges of it to flatten down the edges a bit. :D:D:D

Most of my customers ask for the higher loft batting and they don't want me to over-quilt it. I have sample squares quilted to show them and they usually pick the one that has 3"-4" quilting.

if you use the higher loft batting pin the areas you are going to quilt well, make it large areas...no dense areas, like just going around your squares or x's across the the blocks. i found it easiest to pin baste the center, quilt it, then move out and pin some more as i went with the high loft...work with a small practice piece (like a placemat size-you can make it into a dollquilt later...and get the hang of using it before working on your quilt.

Honestly, I would stick with the Hobbs 80/20.

I would stick to the not so thick batting. it is easier to handle when you are FMQ.