I was in Joann's today and browsing the book racks (30% off this week ;-) ) on my way out.
A book I had never seen before (I think it just came out) contained a lot of ideas about incorporating panels into quilt tops - more than just surrounding it with border after border.
http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Quilt...504846&sr=8-11
You can see from the cover how they altered the panel to give it a bit of 'extra' umpf.