I like your ideas! Maybe a curved needle would have helped your fingers. I would have considered doing the shoulders first and putting strips over them, and then wrapping around the torso, covering the ends.
I like that you started at the bottom instead of the top cuz for me it makes more sense...I was struggling to upsize my size 8 to a size 18 beginning from the top, yet, I've got it now thanks to you! :)
The extra cotton wool will fill a quilt quite nicely. I, too, am interested in that wide band of material (looks like rolled bandage material to me) you used. What is it actually made of? Liked the video very much!