this is something I've wondered about too LOL! I'm working on finishing a string quilt now from a swap several years ago not sure if I'm gonna add a border or not. I have another I really wanted to finish but it's using eleanor burns's quilt ina day where you leave a center strip open to the muslin and I don't have more of the same muslin and can't find any that matches and it bugs me to put regular string quilt blocks with it LOL!