Taking a modern approach

I've been working sporadically on a new Dear Jane quilt this year.  I started in January, trying to keep up with a Facebook group in which the moderator assigns a monthly bunch of blocks.  There's also a group with a weekly assignment.  I got totally confused, made two of the same block, and decided just to begin at the beginning of the book and work my way through.  I look at what others in those groups have made, but I need to do my own thing.

As I went along, I noticed that, 10? years after I made my last Dear Jane block, my fingers don't move like they used to (duh!).  I had a hard time hand appliqueing some of the tinier pieces that I know I could handle before.   I decided to stop worrying and start fusing.  I have never liked using fusibles because the end result is stiff.  But I discovered a new adhesive (Hot Fix) that is more flexible than others I've tried previously.  Since I'm already using a variety of black and white backgrounds with bright colors, fusing seems to go along with the "modern Jane" concept.

Here are the last four blocks in the B row and some from the C row.  B-11 isn't right - call it a "variation."  And I found I had already made C-3 in hot pink.  It wasn't the greatest, so I set it aside, but maybe I'll put it on the back along with other rejects.

I like the modern, more colorful fabrics I'm using with the varied backgrounds, especially block C-2.  When I finish the C row, I may put the blocks together and quilt those.  I'm thinking about using a charcoal gray sashing to make the blocks stand out.  Gray grunge perhaps?

And as for fusing, I will just have to learn to like it.  After all, many of Edyta Sitar's quilts are done that way and she even sells pre-fusible kits.

Today I'm baking some bread and plan to get back into the sewing room to work on C-7 at the very least.  I have been reading quite a bit, too, and watching Fresh Quilts on PBS on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.