Well, it's almost 11pm here in Australia and that quilt just kept bugging me and bugging me. Now I know I said ripping out stitches was not an option but...............3 hours later and I have skun it/skinned it. Not quite the gentle method employing a stitch ripper and an inhuman amount of patience but rather a whopping great big "I'm beyond caring" suture removal blade and wouldn't you know it.....not one nick in the fabric! Not one! Crikey, you can get lucky some times can't you!
I'll start all over again next weekend. Thankyou everyone, this forum and another I belong to are terrific for advice and I do appreciate all the suggestions.