End of June, start of July

I'm just sneaking in a bit late for Fresh Sewing Day but I do like to try to do my monthly round up and plan ahead even when there isn't much to report! Last month's plans have been mostly ignored with just a couple of very pitiful finishes to report.

Some blocks for a quilt for Aneela

Some baby boy gifts

Umm yep, that's about it, sorry. No progress at all on my Aviatrix Medallion :-(

But I have been busy, with the 48 Granny Square blocks we made at Leeds MQG last month. 

I've been sashing ...

Basting ...

Quilting and trimming ...

That's one done and the other one half basted as I type. We meet again a week on Saturday (last month's meeting was later than usual) and we are hoping to get these bound and labelled and generally finished and ready to send off to Siblings Together before this year's deadline.

So looking at my to do list for July, that's the first big job.

1) Finish Siblings Together granny square quilts!

Then more deadline sewing:

2) Teacher gifts. 

I need to turn this

into 3 Noodlehead open wide zip pouches for the TAs. I have Hotel Chocolat goodies to go in them!

And I must also add a touching personalised label to the Dottie quilt which we are going to give to DD1's wonderful reception teacher.

I don't generally make labels, but I had an idea to get DD1 to write her message which I will then trace onto the fabric and hand embroider to make a label. Is that a ridiculous idea?! I haven't done embroidery for years (decades ...), will it take hours and hours?! Thoughts and/ or better suggestions in the comments please!

And then finally

3) My Siblings Together Bee blocks for July.

I am eager to rattle through this list and clear the decks as I have some SECRET sewing to do this Summer. This is a first for me and I am both excited and terrified in equal measure but looking forward to getting these things done so I can focus and crack on.

Oh and we do go away for the last 2 weeks of July and it *might* be nice to take some hand sewing. I won't even have time to do any prep before I go, but maybe I should brave these ....

I'm going to kill two birds with one post now and link up with both Lily's Quilts and also WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.