Okay ladies this is what I did. First I waited until the dog went to bed for the night (he's an English bulldog so he sleeps about 23 hours a day (nice, hehe)). Then I put the quilt on a sheet on the floor. I appreciated the advice that it wasn't so far out in its measurements. I never considered that 1/4" or 1/2" is still okay, if not entering a judged show. Anyway, I laid it out and it was flat. I could see one place that looked like it needed a little shave. And that's all I did. Charisma did a wonderful job of taking the top quilting to the edges so I didn't need to baste the edges either. I'm in process of binding now and I'm one of those who enjoy binding. Love the quiet time and watching the final touch complete a long and arduous labor.
You are all greatly appreciated!
Natalie