Irish Chain Borders

First thing, Lakeview Quilt Guild was last Monday and it was the last day to sign up a quilt to be in the Guild quilt show that is in May. I measured the only quilt I made last year and paid my $5 to enter it. Then I sat down. The guild has a slide show of important information of interest to the guild members to look at while we gather. There on the screen was the show deadline and this phrase, 'Your quilt does not have to be finished until May 15th as long as you sign up TODAY you have 2 months to finish it.' I went back and paid my $5 for an unfinished quilt. My Red Irish Chain now has a deadline and it will get finished. I love a deadline.

Last year while I was preparing to move I made myself some quilt kits. The idea was that I wouldn't have much access to fabric and would like to finish some quilts. So I purchased fabric for kit #5; an Irish chain. Since I take years to finish a quilt I've blogged about this quilt several times. Here, here, and here .
When I pulled the quilt out and refreshed my memory of it. My kit consisted of fabric for border #3, #4, and #5 and the backing and binding. (The borders #1 and #2 just continue the Irish chain pattern, so they really don't show.)

Right away I knew that the first fabric wasn't going to work, but the #5 for sure would. So went to 2 quilt shops to get 1 yard of muslin. Washed, pressed and cut, and sewn. Then to the pieced squares; I decided to use all red squares, not the white with red lines on it. So I cut another 100 squares and stitched and stitched until I had 340? squares sewn and attached, then laid it on the kit border fabric;

Do you see the problem I see? No contrast. That strip was a lot of work. I want to see it. So I went back to the store....and am planning this now;

Now how wide should I make it?
Working a little backwards I decided to start with the backing which I still LOVED and make the back. I wanted to make sure I didn't make the quilt 1" bigger than what I had for the back. The back is made and the seams pressed. Most people would measure and compare the numbers, I will lay them both on my bed and look at it to make sure the size is right.
I'm putting this in Judy's design wall links.