Thanks all for your help! :D
Yes Ellen, you're right, the sun can fairly beat through there in the summer - I hadn't thought it would be useful for then too!
Izy, I was going to hang it outside the recess - Barney Boy is a huge fatty and he DOES need plenty of room to manoevre! I'd thought of using header tape but thought it might bunch up too much? I would like to do it 'proper, like'! If you think it would work then I'll do it! Otherwise I'd go with the tabs I think, oh shall I just make the quilt and then we'll see? Oh goody, now to find a pattern, any ideas....? :D
K x