"Steps," and Analogies

I won this clever notebook a long time ago from one of YOU, and have I ever used it on THIS project!  I am so sorry I don't remember who it was - Can I use the "senior citizen" excuse? 

I'm making a bargello-type border to surround my "Steps" quilt (aka "One Step at a Time." Making this quilt has been an incredible personal journey - yes, we've all heard that term with our quilts but this quilt is following me (or is it leading me?) right along. It represents many analogies such as "One Step at a Time," "If you get lemons, make lemonade," "If you want something different, you have to change something," "Take it Easy," "Use What you Have," "Be Happy," "Attitude Adjustment", and even "If your border (your life!) IS a little too bold, it is still beautiful!" 

Below are some of the strata units, waiting to be unsewn and resewn into bargello strips.  (huh??? )  Each one is unsewn at a different point, in order to get the movement to visually go around the quilt.  I chose the dark blue as my marker -- if you want the design to visually turn the quilt corners, you must choose one fabric and stick with it.  It's easy to get them turned around or dropped or you lose concentration, and then NOTHING works correctly (see? another life lesson!).  They should meet in the middle and at the corners.  Meeting in the middle (there's another one of those life lessons!) occasionally has to be gently re-engineered.     

Here's one corner which is exactly like the other corner to the left.  This is especially where I used the graph paper in my notebook.

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 Below is the center of the two ends, where they have to meet in the middle. And they did, with a little bit of narrow seam allowance-fussing.  I inserted 3 more units.  8-))

I've made this border before, being inspired by a Scrappy Bargello block from Quiltville.com, and am thrilled with how it goes together, looking a LOT harder than it is.  Using an even number of strips in a strata, pressing the seams in opposite directions and reasonably careful cutting of the strata, is not difficult, but it DOES take some time.  And one has to start at the outside of the border, and work towards the center, leaving the corners 'til the end, if you want the pattern to go around.   It's so orderly and graphic - And yes, I KNOW it is going to be uhhh, bold and beautiful!  8-)))