Friday, March 18, 2011

best first mate

Long, long ago I knew a person who watched me take four months to knit a sweater and said, "why would you go to all that trouble when you can just buy a sweater from Target for ten bucks?" That statement was the equivalent of hocking a fat, yellow loogie and spitting it directly at my face. Looking back, that particular relationship should have been over right then and there.

I knew that Jon was something special when he recognized how much I love to make stuff and began asking thoughtful questions about my craft du jour. He has come to give excellent logistical advice and opinions, and nowadays I almost don't want to start a project without consulting him. When I'm so bored at the electronics store with him that I want to take a quad-core processor and knock myself unconscious, I try my very best to remember how patient he is with me at the craft store when I take six hours deciding on fabric colors.

Recently a dear friend overseas had a baby. All she had said was that the nursery was going to be turquoise and black and that it would have a pirate theme. I decided to make the baby a quilt. Jon came with me to the fabric store and helped me choose a variety of turquoise and other blue colors. And then he came up with an idea that he justified with, "no self-respecting pirate goes around without his own pirate flag."

Here is the front, with its watery theme:

 Two of our wedding colors have come from swatches of this quilt. Photos by Jonathan Muller
Here is the back, a cutesy pirate flag for an adorable pirate:


I was really afraid my friend would be offended by the skull on something for her baby. Especially after the violent reaction my mom had: She decreed that no grandbaby of hers would wear anything with a skull on it. But Jon insisted that if you're going to do pirates, you should go the full jolly roger or just stay home. 

11 comments:

Syar said...

Just want to make a note regarding skulls: I have a pretty skirt that has this skull pattern on it, which everyone loves. Skulls are great! (sorry to disagree, Cadiz's Mum)

Also, a pirate themed nursery = AWESOME. Your pirate flag = AWESOMER. My housemate did a pirate kids show for her Honours project last year, and one of her cast members recently moved into our house, so we like pirate things. We just hung up two boat-kites new housemate got us from Bali over the staircase and they look great. YAY PIRATES.

Jon said...

I was pretty insistent. And I stand by that. This is one of my favorite gifts that you've made for any of your friends. That's probably because I've always loved pirates, but also because this is fricken awesome!

And they didn't say they were doing a boat theme... they didn't say they were doing an ocean theme... they didn't say they were doing a bunny theme... they said PIRATE theme! How is it a pirate theme without a Jolly Roger?!!? And an adorable one at that. What a lucky kid.

also, not to be a jerk or anything, but where's my photo credit?

Word Verification: conesse - the language of the cones.

Anonymous said...

It is amazing! You are so talented! I wish I had learned to sew. I suppose I still could. But I prefer to have you make me stuff:)

cc said...

The quilt is amazing! And Jon's suggestion was perfect. It really makes it badass, but in a G-rated badass way. What a lucky kid.

Anonymous said...

Awesome! I bet that baby will grow up to be a totally kickass pirate, all because of you. Maybe you'll get a cut of the booty?

Eclectic Bride-Wife-Mom said...

This is a great gift! I really need to start quilting. on a side note, I think I've successfully figured out basic knitting. Now to make a scarf. Husband looked at it and asked what it was. :( He would NOT spend 6 hours at a fabric store with me. He is awesome in other ways, though.

You are one lucky lady. See you soon?

Lia said...

I love the quilt! For any anti-pirate people, you can just show the pretty blue side, and everyone else can appreciate pirate flag. Perfect for the "undercover" pirate.


(I know, bad pun.)

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

I like, I like, I like, especially the fact that it can be used both sides, and it can be used forever for all kinds of things.

If your friend said Pirate, I don't think she meant flowers!

Man, I'd be furious if someone were to tell me to buy something from Tarjay for 10 bucks rather than make it myself. As a 'crafty-lady' myself, I'm fuming.

SupaCoo said...

AWESOME! You are so crafty, I love it!

Sphincter said...

Nice work! There's no wussing out with pirates! You had to go with the Jolly Roger. It's perfect.

velocibadgergirl said...

That quilt is SO FREAKING FANTASTIC I almost can't stand it :D