What a wonderful gift for your friend! Our four-legged companions are very much family members and losing them hurts! I would like to do something similar to remember my Cocker Spaniel I lost in May, he was such a sweet guy.
I look forward to seeing your NZ quilt published. I have a few FQs of NZ fabric I collected on our trip there a few years ago. I've been deciding what pattern to use with them, want to start it soon.