Liebster questions

Not quite au fait with this concept yet
seems to be a promotional concept for small bloggers ( me, small bloggie rather than physical attributes)
Angela from  
http://heartofcharnwood.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/double-liebster-madness.html
nominated me,( Hi Angela) and then nicely  told me off for being a no reply blogger.......naughty me, I promise to try harder..its hard being an oldie trying to keep up with the IT

Here are the answers to the questions she posed

nicest dream :  meeting up with my long lost love ( ah! )

favourite place in the world : walking around Rome on a summer evening: food , atmosphere, history, food, atmosphere, food again etc

favorite name :   ' Cousin It '...relative took a bit too long to name the baby, family in-joke

red or white wine : red, barossa shiraz please; although on my birthday I'd like some Heidsieck dry monopole  if you can manage it

favorite gadget ( non sewing) : hair hotbrush, one on general duties, one spare

favorite blogger  : ( auntie ) victoria findlay - wolfe ( 15 minutes of play and bumblebeans 
http://bumblebeansinc.blogspot.co.uk/

which fruit of veg best describes you  =  asparagus, slender, delicious, expensive , ironic, ha

Most exciting thing done = teaching a trauma course in the Falkland Islands, arriving flanked by 2 Harrier jets

Most hated word = 'challenge' used in NHS speak for more work, less resources

How did you choose your blog name = Doris = med school nickname ; Batting = US version of wadding

Worst habit = CATASTROPHISING ! 

Think I should nominate other small bloggers, maybe I can manage that tomorrow 

cathedral windows

Always admired these lovely quilt blocks
finally tried it out, here we go, la la la la laa

Learnt
1. should have used batting under the windows fabric, as when I tried to press them they just got the imprint of underlying folded fabric and went all wrinkly AAGGHHH
2. Mussed up the centre, tried to cover up with embroidery cotton NAH
3. Same colour thread would have made dodgy edge sewing less noticeable

4. Button is a most excellent cover up for centre cock ups, lets hear it for buttons folks!
5. Pressing needs to be VERY accurate

well, its photographing better than it looks in reality heh heh

a lovely day

at last some sunshine 
lovely breezy walk to shops
yesterday felt really unwell, but after some sleep much better today
playing with solids again looking for the ideal block for my solids bee

quite pleased with my efforts for february bee  japanese X block

had a play with this wheel one today, although had to unpick one seam 3 times to try and get it to match, some days are like that

have told my daughter to avoid me if she sees me using the seam ripper........especially if she's trying to squeeze past me at the sewing machine to ' borrow' my makeup, eyelash curlers etc etc

Love solids, love colour, love the sprinkles I found for this cake I made today

Brother in law's birthday soon, when I asked what sort of cake  he would like, he said ' surprise me'.. ah yes, the challenge is ON

solids quilt

This really became the unfinished project to top all
After basting the quilt myself on top of my bed, it was really hard to machine quilt as the basting was not good, and there were puckers ago go. So then tried to hand quilt it a bit. Hmm. Worked in some areas.
Well, its been sitting at the end of my bed annoying me, so finally got down to binding it . Now at least I can use it for extra warmth on bed, as the snowy weather has hit us hard.

Asked daughter if she wants another quilt on her bed. 'No thanks, I just get into bed and shiver until I am warm' says she. 

Here's the puckered project on the castle gate...started it in summer, and as you can see, snow is now on the ground...... the quilt is  from a pattern called 'keys' by alissa haight-carlton

Gone bonkers today and ordered 12 yards fabric for backing, fabric.com  has 20% off.

Joel Dewberry Notting Hill Kaledioscope in pink

and a  Michael Miller Disco  Dots in haze, am thinking this would look good as backing to a black and white quilt

baby quilt time

Two of my colleagues are expecting babies around Easter, so baby quilts R us.
Love this simple rectangle block 

Used my 'girl' coloured  2/12"  scrap strips to make some.

In the middle of all this activity.....
My iron blew up and popped off its face plate, so hurray...an excuse to go and peruse irons

Found a cordless one!!!! yipee

The centre squares have a delicate butterfly print, too delicate for my iphone camera evidently.

Sashed  and bordered with plain pink to get it to about 30" square, just big enough to pop baby onto it.

a days work done

meanwhile, being looking at what other groups are doing in our modern solids bee...and I love a block called duck  creek puzzle..........wonder if it can be foundation pieced?

playing with solids

trying to decide what block to do for my month of the solids modern bee
this is a fun scrappy block

http://alittlebitbiased.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/scrap-jar-stars-tutoroial-giveaway.html

still find accurate piecing hard, but I am now wondering if the block works as well in solids?

now off to drag out teenage daughter for a walk..maybe a box of maltesers in my handbag may provide incentive?