I think that looks like a great idea!! I think I might be able to finish it even with hand quilting it. Any suggestions about the 8" border? I had planned to use the cream color for the backing and so to make it match the pieced part of the top will have to sew two cream pieces together to make it 56"x56" and then add the 8" strips all around to match the 8" top border so final size adds up to 72x72.