I love your story, comical at times. Makes me think, my first quilt was a quillo, or whatever you want to call it. Puff quilt. I visited a John Wayne museum and there was one on one of the beds. I fell in love with it. I looked at it, went home to find info about how to make them. Did not understand at first, but, like you went out and got fabric and for the next few months I cut and sewed and stuffed all the blocks. I did mine by hand too. I have the one on my avatar. It is quite a job, but, I am very happy with it. It was for my granddaugter. Blocks have been torn since that time, by the german shepherd they have. He finds it quite a nice soft spot to sleep. I can't repair it, because I don't have enough of the fabric and I am afraid if I take these blocks out, well, I don't exactly know to, but, I am afraid the dog would tear them again