Paper Piecing WIP - Great Balls of Fire!

This paper pieced quilt top isn't finished, but I wanted to share it.  I haven't done paper piecing in a while, and really enjoy it, even though it's "messy" -- lots of little pieces of paper and fabric!

The Great Balls of Fire quilt pattern was featured in Quiltmaker Magazine issue #129 way back in 2009, but I found the free block patterns online, and then ended up getting the old issue to get all of the instructions. The design has a subtle circular pattern that I really liked.  Can you see it in the blue?

The quit in the pattern is green red, tan and orange, but I wanted to do more "beach" colors, so I used shades of green, blue and tan.  OOPS!  I didn't realize that the blues and greens were too much the same value until I had made several blocks, and didn't want to stop and start over!

So I got creative!  I used fabric paint to shade some of the blue pieces darker (I may add some more dark blue like the center).  To bring out the circular blue design, I plan to use thread painting and quilting. The green border was pieced, don't know why that wasn't paper pieced also, but worked out..

The quilt is about 50" x 50", and I'm thinking of adding a border to make it larger.  I thought maybe it would help the blue design show up more.

What do you think of the blue fabric on the left as a border?  Too blue?

I'll definitely post more when I get this one done!

Mary