Thanks so much for all the tips, encouragement and positive feedback! I hatched the idea of making this quilt when my best friend became pregnant with her first 14 months ago. I somehow had the idea in my head that it would take forever to cut and piece, so the fabric sat in a bin for about a year. I had a few days off after Christmas and decided to finally tackle it. So surprised to find it goes together really quickly!
I think I will make a sample "sandwich" and try quilting that before attempting the larger quilt. I will look into the spray basting as well.
For those who predicted more quilts in my future, I have already started collecting fabric for 3 others I want to make! My main hobby is gardening, and quilting gives me a great rainy season pastime. I love textiles, color, design and am a bit of a perfectionist - seems like quilting is a great fit!