Hi Karen,
What a lovely quilt. What a great reward for Mary's work with her studies. I would think about using cotton or even bamboo batting instead of flannel. Flannel will be much hotter than the cotton or bamboo. I've been reading that the new bamboo batting gives a very soft finish to the quilts it was used in.
I agree with others and their comments about backing the white sections, etc.
I would also hide her name and info and your name and contact information somewhere inside near the binding. This way if it were to be stolen and the outside labels removed, it can always be identified with the hidden information that only you and Mary would have knowledge about.
Good luck with finishing this beautiful quilt for Mary. Please post pictures when it's completed.
Pam M