Just Takes 2.

My Just Takes 2 quilt is enjoying a bit of time out of the project box.  Whilst Netherfield is sulking in the corner, I'm taking the opportunity to get a few more JT2 blocks finished.
Before I started this quilt, I really disliked foundation piecing on paper.  Truth be told, I still really dislike it.  I always manage to get some fabric pieces around the wrong way, or trim the whole patch off rather than trim the seam allowance.
JT2 seems to be mostly foundation pieced.   I do feel that I have gained some skills in this method, but I don't think I'll ever really love it!

The first 3 blocks are all foundation pieced.  The last 2 are hand appliqued- my favourite thing ever.

Quilt intermission...

Netherfield is having an intermission for a few days.  I'm having "Issues" with the next border.  LOL.
The pattern measurements don't quite add up mathmatically, I've adjusted the next border to try and make it fit, but I'm not sure if I like the slightly stretched look of the previous border.
Whilst that quilt is in the "time-out corner", I've re-discovered my Just Takes 2 quilt from last year.

I got a little creative with the seams on this block, to get it to sit nice and flat.

I remembered reading on Jo Morton's Yahoo Group about clipping seams.  Works very well.  I twirled the other seam intersections.  Too many seams in a small block.
These blocks all came together relatively quickly.   I'd cut out the pieces some time ago in preparation for sewing, very easy to just pick up the pieces and sew.

Coming together...

Netherfield is coming together nice and quickly at the moment. 

 Full steam ahead and on to some flying geese.

Mother's Day comes early...

I'm so lucky.
Recently, I was looking around the internet- as you do- and I came across a store of elderly quilts.
Normally I can look and not touch, but this time I saw one that I loved.  I've never bought antique textiles before, so with more than a little trepidation,  I purchased a quilt for myself.

Oh, just look at that pink!  Gorgeous double pinks and browns, not to mention the shirtings.  It measures approx. 88" by 74", has never been washed and is in very good condition for its age.

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I love the stripes in this block.

Just look at that green.  I'm sure I've seen a reproduction of this print in the last couple of years.

In the borders, the quilting follows pencil lines that are still visible!

Up close and personal with the back.  A gorgeous purple-ish brown, and look at the thread beginnings!
So, forget the cold toast and lukewarm tea this year family- just wrap me in my quilt. LOL.

Netherfield corners...

Moving on to the cornerstones for the next border.
Can't wait to get these trimmed and added to the previous border so I can stitch them on.

Netherfield...

 Finally, I've finished the next round of borders for my Netherfield quilt.  They were on hold for a while as I waited for the stem fabric to arrive, but then there was no holding back once it hit my letterbox!  Luckily, I'd pieced the hexagon flowers whilst waiting, so full steam ahead.

Four borders ready for trimming.

Easter presents...

Instead of large amounts of Easter chocolate, I love to receive fabric.
DH was so generous this year,(even though he didn't know it!), the lovely postie keeps bringing in parcels for me.
Just look at these gorgeous fabrics.
These are "Party of Twelve" by Judy Rothermel.  The red in the top left corner is simply to die for!  I thought it looked good on my screen, but in the flesh- oh so gorgeous.
The yellows are really lovely, and those greens are just perfect poison colours. 

This range is "The Merchant's Wife" by Terry Clothier Thompson.  It's set a couple of my online groups atwitter! (is that a word?  LOL.)
 It's a really stunning group of fabrics in vivid, saturated colours and really large scale designs.
The fabrics just glow so much in real life.  I love large scale patterns for cutting into blocks.  Many times in old quilts I've seen large prints cut up into squares or triangles, they look so effective in changing the scale in the blocks.  Does this make sense?
These fabrics are stripes across the width of fabric. An interesting design decision.  I prefer my stripes to run along the length of fabric- makes it much easier to cut borders and sashings if I choose.

The stripes in the top 2 fabrics run lengthwise.  The colours are so vivid.  Oh so beautiful.  I've left these fabrics out on my kitchen bench for a few days, looking and touching and imagining every time I pass.  My family think I'm nuts!

Who needs chocolate?