Suggestion .... before you wash your quilt (if I am not too lage) and go any further
........ make a sandwich with your fleece and cotton, but flip it over and FMQ onto the fleece.
It could be that the fleece is not sliding freely enough. The extra weight of the whole quilt creates drag. With the fleece it can create even more drag.
You may want to read more about my fleece FMQ experience ....
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...g-t239508.html