Thanks for the input, Joe'smom. I still have plenty of the alternate blocks to make and can make the two sides of the Lupine Star blocks (I think of it as Cross and Crown, but it's not quite that either). Just keep the sashing together with it until I decide.
What I'm seeing from the distance shot is the really strong white crosses, and the stars are pretty much completely lost. Maybe that will be ok with more blocks. I can show some of the problem blocks, but in that first picture the bottom two show the white mattress pad and that gives sort of an idea.
A half yard will be enough to make the inner border and the center blocks. If I have a 2-yard piece, I can make the binding with it as well.
I'm thinking the charcoal is too dark, in natural light you can see it is indeed quite a bit lighter than the blacks, and much darker than the gray. I think I need a more medium color.
When my favorite fabric store was going out of business, they were selling the bolts at a set price (I'm forgetting -- like $10 for what was left on the bolt??). I got pretty much a full bolt of the piece shown in the first picture. I feel it is too dark and the scale is too large for the 1" finish sizes, but that it could be used for the little centers, the inner border, the binding -- and the back as well! Which is a compelling argument for use
The other picture I pulled back a bit from the charcoal so it could be seen more. I love how the gray and white brightens everything up -- but I'm going for the black background. Above is a 50/50 black gray where I have the two yards, but I think it is too dark as well.