quiltmouse

I realized I had cut up the two focus fabric FQ for my second Optimism, twin. I laid the cut up bits together and took a pic. The other pic is my 8 point stars. Focus fabric (none in this block) is left & my first Optimism is on the right.

If you looked at her original grid, you see she makes (prob 6") smaller blocks, then frames them up to 7-1/2, and puts 4 together for the 15" block. I enjoy math and making it work. 15 divided by 2 is 7-1/2, divided by 4 is 1-7/8". Plus SA 1/2 is cut 2-3/8."

Not typical quilt numbers, but eminently doable. Happy to provide complete write up if anyone would like to follow suit.

quiltmouse

Focus Optimism block 3, my sq in sq corners are absolutely huge. The math maths, no idea what happened, perhaps too small SA? They don't measure small. I'm mystified. Oh well. Take it apart & FIX IT.

Here's my focus support fabrics. 17 support, and 17 cut up shirts for backgrounds. lol overachiever? Probably. There'll only be 12 blocks, doubt if I'll even be able to use near that many.

A note regarding my write up of the 8pt stars. If you'd rather not make four sq in sq finish 3-3/4" blocks, this won't be for you.

Macybaby

Love your focus fabric!

quiltmouse

Thank you Cathy. Your focus fabric and answering my questions helped me move forward with this project, using the beloved old hoarded FQs. The project is already bringing me joy.

Also, I was looking back for our discussion, and I saw on the post directly ahead of my first one on this thread that Ms Aby Dondlinger was on the thread commenting on the group progress.

Aby, that totally blew over my head that you were here. I have posted several times about not using your directions, and also about making changes to one of your selected blocks. Please accept my abject apologies. My comments were inappropriate and I expect I seemed arrogant, perhaps even dismissive of your methods. I am so sorry.

Age 68, I have wrist and strength issues. My rotary cuts frequently wobble. If they wobble smaller, then those bits then need to be recut. A bigger wobble is also a problem, because then I have to re-trim for the next bits to be cut. I've never been very successful at achieving good HSTs using corner to corner sewing. I rotary cut for my accuquilt dies. I add 1/4" to what the die needs, if I have rotary slippage, either direction, it generally still works out. This is by way of explanation, but still, I am very sorry about my big mouth. I am very grateful for your BOM and the efforts you exerted to put it together for our enjoyment. Thank you.

quiltmouse

My post #138, I mentioned a scrolly black fabric. It was part of the Focus Fabric Fruit bundle mentioned over in the multi BOM thread. I laundered separately several fabrics in various colors, then was going to dry them all together. I laid the scrolly black on a sweet solid apricot. When I picked it up, the apricot was speckled. So sad. I ended up drying the color families by themselves.

I'd had 2 of the Fruit FQ bundles, and found the 2nd scrolly black FQ. O. Dread. I'm using moda black with the fruit, and I'd selected a gridded black for Optimism #2. The double FQ bundle also had a black spotted white. So I had 4 different blacks to wash & dry. I washed them this morning. Got a cotton poly knit rag, wet it, laid all the blacks on it. Nothing. Wet the edge of the apricot (still in laundry room) laid the scrolly black, and the gridded black on the selvedge of the apricot. Nothing. Hmmm? What? dried all 4 pieces. The original scrolly black was also still in laundry. I'd ordered retayne. It was 2 FQ bundles, perhaps the fabrics, appearing identical actually aren't. I wet the miscreat scrolly black in the bath sink, and it ran gray. Jeepers. Just goes to show, you never know what'll happen. Now that I have functioning blacks, I can get back to cutting out Optimism #1.

Dedemac

Blocks 7 and 8 are now up on the website!!!! Time to pick more blue combinations.

quiltmouse

I took a closer look at block 3. The chisels were too short. I've taken out the necessary seams. I'll cut new background triangles, only make them longer.

The retayne I ordered arrived, but I tossed the swirly black FQ. Wasn't worth the hassle, even as a dust rag. The 2nd swirly black FQ is fine.

Mkotch

Thanks for letting us know. I'm trying hard to keep up with this. Was thinking about quilting as I go, but since I choose my monthly colors on whim (I'm going scrappy from my stash), I don't think I'll be able to. That is OK - I have plenty of other UFOs to keep me busy!

Macybaby

I downloaded the patterns and hope to get to them soon. I was digging through some totes and found where I'd cut out pieces for a jewel box quilt using black. Since this one is also black, I may work on my "find" also.

But first I need to do my taxes. Not a big deal, but I'd really rather be sewing! My son has used turbo tax in the past but they want at least $200 this year, so I'll be showing him how to do them himself and file with the free IRS site. I've always done my own, though the years I was working at a CPA firm during tax season, I used their programs to file. Will be the first year in ages that I also have to file a State return. Hopefully GA is easy, and not a pain like Iowa or Nebraska. MN and WI are not so bad, and even ND wasn't too bad. DH worked construction out of State quite a bit, so even though we lived in a State with no income tax (SD) one year I had to file state returns in IA, NE, MN and ND. Non resident state taxes are a real pain to deal with. DH stopped working about 12 years ago. Enough complaining, the sooner I get to it, the sooner I can get on to fun stuff!

dpendleton

You guys are crushing this BOM challenge. I love the blocks #5 & #6 that have been posted. Here's my take. Also posting a pic of all 6 of my blocks laid out with potential sashing.

Onto blocks #7 & #8. These keep coming up fast! Now that I've started a local group of our sewing guild chapter my dance card has been filling up, LOL.