Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and feedback, it's all so helpful. The clear winner is the alternating red and gray (which was my preference as well).

I just love this board, everyone is so kind and helpful, and I get lots of great information and tips! You all are GREAT!

A sidebar on making this quilt for my DD: She told me a while back she would love for me to make her a quilt, but not til she quits smoking. Well, she's 38, has smoked since she was a teenager, and so I don't think that's going to happen any time soon (although I certainly hope she does!). She is my middle child, and the only one of my three children to live in a different state, so I don't get to see her very often, and she misses "home" a lot. She's also had a lot of difficulties in her life, and so I thought this would be a way of showing her my love, by making her a quilt even though she is still smoking. It will be the first quilt I've made for one of my children...the other two will just have to wait their turn!

I wouldn't think so. You can always mark it with an water eraseable pen if you have trouble lining it up with your presser foot.I've put tape on them before but just to line with the foot not to sew by, if you edge over you get gunk on the needle if you try to use tape to sew by and get too close and go on the tape.Do you understand what I just said, it sounds sorta strange now that I've read it. You have a lovely quilt and what ever you decide to do will be fine, every quilt we make we learn things from and sometimes the hard way. This site has saved me from many mistakes by reading what others have done or questions they have asked and has been answered.

JCL: Thanks for the tip, I might try that. Experience is definitely one of the best teachers! Even after reading and trying to implement what others say, I spend a lot of time with the "reverse stitcher." (My hubby gets a big kick out of the lingo on here, and now sometimes refers to our cats as "inspectors.")