Congratulations on your 40........ uh 41st year! Looks like they were fun active years. Memory quilts mean so much to the people that lived it and their too. Great finish!

I really like this idea wildyard! I wonder how many fabrics I could find for my DH... something to think about as I rearrange my stash over the winter. We have our 30th coming up in June so I have some time. Congratulations to you and yours!

Today's finish is a special one. In January I set a goal of finishing a UFO a week in 2013 and this is UFO Finish #52!!

Arkansas Crossings is from the book "Quilts From the Heart" by Karin Renaud and this is the 4th UFO I've finished from her book so let's just say it is one of my favorites for scrappy inspiration! I have some leftover 4 patches and lots more 2" squares so I'll be starting another one. Such a fun pattern.

I'm including a 2nd photo which shows the quilting better. As I was starting to trim it for binding I wasn't happy with how the white X's looked (they were kind of "poofy" compared to the patchwork squares) so I decided to add the diagonal lines down the center of the X's which added so much I thought. I'm getting more confident at making quilting decisions and that feels great!

Congratulations asimplelife! Something for me to attempt--thanks for sharing your success.

Asimplelife: Love that pattern and the border echos every one of your scrap colors. Something about scrappy with a white background or X's always looks so crisp to me. Congrats on the 52nd!

asimplelife: another fun quilt! Great job accomplishing your goal!! YAY!!!!!!!!

Agreed! Love it. Adding to the "gotta make me one o them" list.

Oh, simple.... it's such a pretty quilt. Again, you do such a nice job of putting together bright fabrics that just 'POP'. Love it.

Thanks everyone! This one has moved from the Project Linus pile to the keeper pile... I'm sure a special person will happen along one day for it. Being #52 and all I'd like to hang onto it for awhile and use it for inspiration.

My next one is ready for binding but I'm having a lazy Monday so far... it's cold and windy outside and I'm tempted to snuggle up under a quilt for an afternoon nap. Had family home for the weekend which I loved but it always takes me a day to regroup.

Well at long last my Blue Irish is done. I like to try to learn at least one thing with every quilt I make. I have a list this time:

1. Just because you test the pencil marker on a piece of fabric in a bowl of dish soap doesn't mean the very same pencil will come out in the wash.
2. A high loft batting is harder to sandwich with no wrinkles.
3. By the time you have sandwiched and taken it apart three times the glue will start to form cement like blobs.
4. After you have traced the quilt design 25 times, trust me you do have muscle memory. (See #1 for lesson regarding the pencil used.)
This quilt measures 96 X 96. The Irish Chain is side A and the sashed bricks is side B.

since my phone takes such poor quality photos thought I would try to show the quilting.