thank you for sharing your stories. i feel that quilting is the greatest therapy with the greatest rewards, and you are now getting double therapy. it is wonderful. scrap/scrappy quilts are my absolute favorite. about 90% of my quilts are scrappy. so here's my opinion on your borders. what about reducing the width of the striped border, and widening the scrappy border a bit? also, i very often use WOF for lengths of binding, using assorted fabrics. i like the look and it adds character to the quilt. after all, one cannot have too much character! my thoughts are with you, your sister and the love you share.