With this pattern I would add additional blocks. It would then not detract from the cool border treatment. :-D

You can do wonders with borders whether you use pieced borders or plain borders. Find a color in one of your prints and find either a solid or print to pull out that color with a border.

I would just add an extra boarder around the quilt. Or maybe two one thinner inner boarder and one larger outer boarder so that they will both add up to 5 1/2" on one side which would give you the 10 or so inches that you need on the sides and while you don't need those extra four inches at the top and bottom you really wont notice them when the top is completed.

I would make the lite blue blocks around the edge whole blocks and use the darker colors as the part blocks and than the border as is just remember that this will make the borders longer too

JCL (Judi) & Everyone else. Thank you soooo much for your help. I think for this quilt which will be my first on my own (my sister helped me make one) I'll play it safe and make additional borders. And a BIG THANK YOU for reminding me to wait and cut out my borders last-- if I do decide to make extra blocks-- I think I'll wait and see how everything is coming together and then decide which way to go. You all are so helpful, thank you for being here for us "newbies".

you will throw the color design/pattern off if you add a row...
best to add a border after the plain block border!

Looking at the quilt pattern I would either add another block or split the first border with a color in between the border they show. That would make three different borders then the pieced border.

Additional blocks would work, as would additional border.

Can't wait to see how it turns out for you. This is very pretty! :)

There are NO quilt police. Do whatever you want to make it the size you want. Even make borders different sizes if you want. It's YOUR quilt, isn't it? Of course it is!!!