I would add another layer to the back of the quilt, making your current back (fleece?) the batting. You can go over the same quilting lines or add new ones to make it look more dense than it is.

It’s a cute quilt! I like the “quietness” of the monochromatic fabrics you chose. I agree it will be warm enough to snuggle and light enough for a toddler to drag around. I say leave it and move on to your second quilt, remembering the lessons you learned on your first and building upon your skills.

Can you add another fleece back to the existing quilt? A wider binding would be needed. You can add more quilting or just tack the new backing. Two layer of fleece and the quilt top should make a nice quilt.

Lovely quilt, you did a really nice job. Nicki, I've made hundreds of quilts for the children's hospital with a cotton fabric pieced top and fleece on the back. They are warm, washable and wonderful. I think you have a wonderful quilt and should leave it as completed and move onto your next project. The baby will love it.

leave it as a summer quilt. batted quilts have feelable seams too.
I do all my bedrunners without batt, easier to quilt and perfect for their intended use.

well done on your piecing!

If you choose to leave it as it is - which I think you should - because it is adequate as it is for a blanket/quilt -

how are you planning to anchor the layers together?

If you did not shrink your flannel before sewing it, I suggest "tying" it -

I just saw a video on youtube describing the "hidden tie" or "international stitch" - which I think would work well on this quilt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEkHht2oJsg

Truely a lesson learned. But not all is lost. If you haven't done the binding yet, and maybe others will not agree, I would cut the size of the quilt down and bat, with a thin bat,and put a lighter weight backing on. Forgetting about the fleece backing. Since you are making this for a gift no one will be the wiser that you needed to add a new back, requilt it and bind it again. My though on the fleece is that even with a thin bat it will increase how heavy the quilt is adding more fleece will make it even heavier.

As part of the discussion, did you press the fabrics to one side as is often recommended or did you press your seams open? I press open for a number of reasons, seam thickness is one of them and while many people love it, I don't personally like working with flannel as being too lumpy and too collecting of pet hair :p

I think it looks really good to me just as is and that indeed you are being a bit harsh on yourself. Among other names, that is a Quarter-Square unit, or an Hourglass or set like that Broken Dishes. Your workmanship looks lovely. You can indeed just cut off that outer edge and put in a batting, replace the back and bind with binding instead of the birthing method. Be warned though, any time we sandwich like that there is some movement and your original back will be too close a fit without causing yourself a fit to put it together. Start with a larger back, we generally recommend 2-4" all around pre-quilting.

Many machines have a "serpentine" stitch option and many quilters love this. I used it recently for the first time just this last week (my old vintage machine did not have the option). The advantages are that it gives a fancy effect to a simple grid and in this case you would be criss-crossing the seams which will help flatten them out.

Here's a picture of my project which used a terribly thick batt, but it was what I had that fit the top. As a beginning quilter I'd say stay away from "high loft".
https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...ml#post8321537

Welcome to the board, NickiZ! Enjoy your time here.

If this were my quilt, I would leave it as is. Why? Just because you can feel the seams, does not deem in unusable; in fact it may be just light enough for a young one to carry around and cuddle in. It is a lovely quilt and fit for a better end than a puppy crate! You are being too hard on yourself. Congratulations on a nice finish. My son's favorite was his "bird blanket" made from a layer of cotton and flannel tied together...well worn and in tatters now 40 years later.