Childhood Border link up - Gwennie Inspired Medallion Group

Time to reveal our CHILDHOOD borders for the Gwennie Inspired Medallion group!

As a group we are taking turns picking the themes and interpreting the themes however we'd like.

Lori at Humble Quilts  (center - May) - BASKETS
Yours truly (June's theme - CHILDHOOD)
Cathy at Big Lake Quilter (third - July's theme)
Katy at KatyQuilts (fourth - August's theme)
Wendy at The Constant Quilter (fifth - September's theme)

We have a lot of quilters joining us and it's so fun to see what everyone is doing!  If you have a blog, link up below, and if not, email me your photo and I will add it to this post.

For my border I decided to depict my own three children (from the old classic Quilts Quilts Quilts).

I have really been reflecting on twenty three years of parenting... and I'm going to be an empty nester after this summer.  Weird! I know that parenting doesn't end here, but it is the end of a certain season for sure.

I also included a tree (wonky with cut off points a la Gwen).

When I was ten years old my family moved from Texas to Connecticut, to a yard with a stone wall and woods, and a big tree right outside my bedroom window.  I would sit up in my tiny bedroom and read and daydream and listen to records.  The rustling of the trees outside set the background. 

My children have grown up with trees as well.
Noelle in particular has a connection with trees, as depicted in her haunting drawings:

For the sides, I made sashiko panels using variegated thread which has the effect of fading in and out.

nowaki or "grass in the wind" "storm that comes in the fall/winter" (back to school days!): 

tsu no kikko or tortoise shell - signifying a long healthy life:

fundou or balance weights:




Asanoha, or hemp leaf - signifying protection, traditionally used on children's clothing items:

Edited to add Ursula's medallion:



Ursula says "I am thoroughly enjoying "playing along". My childhood border is all about "fun and friends" which as a teenager often involved our red Volkswagon beetle taking us girls on adventures in our beautiful farm Valley. I am looking forward to making the next border. Log cabins are a favorite of mine. Hmmm....now how would Gwennie play with logs...from Ursula

And from Pierette:



And this one from Maree, who writes "My interpretation of this was blowing bubbles and climbing trees.  I am using Kaffe Fassett fabrics and working in a wonky style.  I am excited about the next round and have already started making my blocks."



If you have a blog, link up with your CHILDHOOD border below!  If you prefer to email me a photo,  I will add it to this post.

And be sure to visit Cathy at Big Lake Quilter for details on July's theme - LOG CABIN!  Great theme and I can't wait to get started!

An InLinkz Link-up