Beginning the border

I started work on the border for the little fish using DMC #5 perle cotton #807 in a slanted gobelin stitch over three threads, then repeated the process for the inner border. Between the two raised areas is DMC cotton floss #807, stitched in basketweave using three plies of floss.
I've decreased the number of plies I normally use because I'll be stitching over the basketweave later.

If you look at the borders in the bottom right-hand corner, you'll notice that they're mitered. No big deal, you might think to yourself. But I've seen stitchers I'd consider to be expert who reach a corner, finish off the gobelin stitch, and resume stitching in a separate column. Sometimes those overlapping columns may actually become a design element, but for a simple design like this one, I personally feel mitering is the smoother, more graceful way to round the corner.

I've started the outermost border with DMC #5 perle cotton #825, again in a slanted gobelin stitch but over four threads this time. You'll be seeing this electric blue again, when I finish the border treatment and move inside to surround the fish.