Gong Show

/ Monday 5 March 2012 /
Gong Show
Looky looky, y'all!  Gong Show is finished!  Don't ask me how, but I managed to get it entirely quilted, bound and washed up yesterday.  I had expected it would take a few days, but when I realized there was a possibility that I could finish it, I was up until midnight to make it happen.
Gong Show
I adore this quilt.  I think it might be my favourite of all that I have made so far.  And it surprises me because I am emphatically not a brown person.  I never choose brown in clothes or home furnishings.  I don't know what possessed me to order this yardage in brown, but I've had it kicking around forever, and only considered pairing it with this Far Far Away III on a whim.  But I think it totally works as a neutral.  It makes the colours in the other fabrics just pop.
Gong Show
I backed it with some older Joel Dewberry - I have always loved this print and how the deer and birds are embedded in it.  You can see Darla checking out the quilt there in the bottom left of the photo.
Gong Show back
I drafted the templates to make this quilt from an old Nancy Cabot pattern called Chinese Gongs. You can go here to see what it looks like gridded out and easily make your own templates.  Each block is 14" and the quilt measures 70" square, and I used a bamboo batting (my favourite).  I quilted it with Aurifil 28 wt. thread.  It's the first time I've used Aurifil for quilting and I like it well enough.  I don't think it beats King Tut, but I'll probably be using Aurifil for awhile, since I found an online store with it on clearance and I bought a whole whack of 28 and 12 wt thread in many different colours.  The binding is an orange print from Lizzie House's Outfoxed line.
Gong Show block

When I was making this quilt, I kept being reminded of how, when I was very young, my two cousins and I used to stay with my grandmother while our mothers were at work.  At naptime, my grandmother used to write the names of the three bedrooms on little slips of paper, roll them up and put them in her silver sugarbowl. We would each draw one to find out where we would be taking our naps.  My favourite room was my uncle's old room - long since vacated by him but still obviously a boy's room, with his old curtains of orange and brown plaid and the bedspread of orange corded cotton.  The room had a western exposure and by naptime it was bright in there, even with the curtains drawn, and often I would just lie quietly and look at his football trophies or page through picture books.  I could often hear my grandmother taking clothes off the squeaky clothesline right outside the window - they were always dry by naptime.  Something about the colours and images in this fabric line brought those memories of that peaceful room in the '60s flooding back.  I'm going to like having this on my bed!
Gong Show blocks

Edited to add: I am linking this to Amy's show and tell and Amanda Jean's Finish It Up Friday!  Go look at all the other finishes for the week and spread the love!


24 comments:

{ Paulette } on: 5 March 2012 at 09:05 said...

That is fabulous! I love it!!

{ Prof. S (the enchanted bobbin) } on: 5 March 2012 at 09:32 said...

Gorgeous, and I am still a bit daunted by the idea of drafting gong templates (and impressed that you did so)!

{ two hippos } on: 5 March 2012 at 09:36 said...

Wow, it looks awesome. And I love the shot of Darla checking it out, so cute!

{ Dara } on: 5 March 2012 at 10:25 said...

Great stuff!

{ Dana - Old Red Barn Co. } on: 5 March 2012 at 11:21 said...

A. Maz. Ing!!!!

{ Little Island Quilting } on: 5 March 2012 at 11:53 said...

It's official. You are clever!

{ Jennifer } on: 5 March 2012 at 12:00 said...

looks good!

{ elle } on: 5 March 2012 at 12:33 said...

This is a quilt that rings my bell, I mean gong! Luv it.

{ Sarah Craig } on: 5 March 2012 at 13:35 said...

It's gorgeous, Lesly! I love it!!

{ Posey } on: 5 March 2012 at 14:38 said...

You tell a good story--I loved reading about your memories of nap time at Grandmas. You also make a very nice quilt.

{ Manda } on: 5 March 2012 at 15:04 said...

Great quilt and it is nice that it brings back good memories!

{ Sequana } on: 5 March 2012 at 15:31 said...

WONDERFUL! Just a wonderful quilt. And not too many other people will have one like this.

I'm hoping maybe this year, I might be one tho.

{ Ariane } on: 5 March 2012 at 15:43 said...

Your quilt is gorgeous!! You should join the Limestone quilter's guild and enter your quilts in our local quilt show in June. You need to be a member though. You have so many wonderful quilts. It would be so wonderful for you to show them. The forms need to be submitted at the Wednesday meeting. The membership is prorated. So you only have to pay the balance for this year. I really encourage you to join. You have so much to share.

{ tusen } on: 5 March 2012 at 16:32 said...

Congratulations on the finish!
You are right that the brown just makes the colours of the prints pop. I actually like brown as a "background" in quilts, it often works great.

{ Newbie Jen } on: 6 March 2012 at 00:26 said...

That is a super cool pattern!

{ MariQuilts } on: 7 March 2012 at 03:54 said...

I'm liking those gongs...the quilt is fabulous.

{ Kat } on: 9 March 2012 at 09:14 said...

This is stunning! I have never tried a curve, but your quilt is so beautiful, I may need to give it a shot. My favorite quilts to make are the ones that bring back happy memories. Great job!

{ KristyLou } on: 9 March 2012 at 10:47 said...

Wow, that looks amazing. And the fact that you finished it all up in one day!!!! Awesome.

{ p.s.phyllis sews } on: 9 March 2012 at 13:48 said...

Wow! I am so impressed by the curves on this quilt and I love the story. Thanks so much for sharing.

{ Heather } on: 9 March 2012 at 15:41 said...

Absolutely beautiful! Loved hearing your memory of naptime at your grandma's, too. So sweet! Lovely finish. :o)

Anonymous on: 10 March 2012 at 16:42 said...

This a a lovely quilt. I really like the brown -- especially on the back. Thanks for sharing it and the sweet story of your childhood.

Deirdre on: 19 March 2012 at 11:46 said...

I love this quilt! What a wonderful story & beautiful work.

{ fiberchick } on: 12 April 2012 at 23:10 said...

Fantastic and thank you for the link to that killer site!

{ Sherri ~ daintytime } on: 14 June 2012 at 10:30 said...

This is beautiful! I love it. I love the dark shadow and light aspect of it and the curves, and your fabric choices. Is it your own pattern?

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