Really puffy batting is IMO near impossible to hand -or- machine quilt. You'd probably have to tie it every 3 inches (at the most, depends on the batt and what the manufacturer recommends for maximum quilting distance) if you switched to a really puffy batt.

Honestly, I don't think really puffy quilts have been "in" since 1975. Though I have never been one to care whats "in" or not, LOL :)

this is what i remember from when i was a kid at my grandmother's. i loved having 2-3 quilts piled on top of me.

My bet is it will be fine and fluff up a little when you wash it. The first quilt I ever made was with Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon cotton batting, which is a very antique "flat" batting. When I was half done, I took it in to a quilt shop to ask about the flatness and was told it was fine. At that time I thought a hand quilted quilt was supposed to be more puffy, like a modern day comforter. That quilt has been much used and loved for maybe 20 years now (it was a baby quilt).

I think the problem is that you're stitching in the ditch. I personally don't like SID because you can't see the quilting. I am finishing a quilt that a woman started many yrs ago. She did SID in some areas and i have to look real close to see where she's quilted. The areas that she came away from the seam a smidge is easier to see the quilting. I also come in a smidge from seams and you can always see my quilting. This quilt has what looks to be a baby's flannel sheet as the batting - therefore - no loft there!! It'll be a light-weight quilt, but you can definitely tell that it's been quilted.

Being compressed in the bag will flatten out the batting. I bet it fluffs up after being washed :) :) :)

I agree. I just did a baby quilt and thought that it looked flat until I washed and dried it. I really like the look that it has now!

I would say finish it...then wash it good...it will be FINE...really...

I use the low loft batting for FMQ. The closer the quilting the flatter the look, the bigger the quilting a softer and fluffier look. When I hand quilted used warm and natural or thermolam--always a flatter look.