The Quilt, Part 2

The design is complete. I had to determine how to distribute the colors, and last night after pulling my hair out for quite a while, I finally settled on which squares will feature which colors.

But as I finish it, I realize that there's nothing standing between me and construction, or to put it more bluntly (or sharply) nothing between some of my favorite old t-shirts and a rotary cutter.

Being the good anglican-raised boy I am, I know how to bid fair-well to useless objects. (quick: How many episcopalians does it take to replace a light-bulb? 25! 4 on a committee to find a new light-bulb, 3 to procure the replacement bulb, one to hold up the ladder while another one replaces the bulb, 5 to hold a service bidding farewell to the old bulb and welcoming the new one, 1 pastor and 1 deacon to lead that service and 9 to complain about how they always preferred the old bulb anyway)

So! Let's take a quick trip down memory lane!







KWVA Shirts 1 and 2: These were acquired in Eugene, Ore. where I volunteered at the student/community station, spinning records from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. every Friday morning. I actually had a few regular listeners who called in requests. I sported these shirts proudly on campus whenever able.

Red Hook Shirt: Ah yes! That day at the Red Hook Brewery. I have a picture of a certain someone pouncing the trunk of a blue Toyota the day I got my t-shirt and he got an identical one of a different color. The picture is on my fridge if you want to see it.

Tom Waits: So I got this one from a friend who didn't want it. I was astounded that anyone would ever get rid of a good Tom Waits shirt! It's got tons of little visual references to Waits' songs in there, including the name of a pizza place (Napoleon's) he used to work at.

Robin Hitchcock: So the front of the shirt was too big for the quilt, but the back is what always got people's attention. It says the names of the musicians (Robin Hitchcock and the Young Fresh Fellows) and the venue (The Crocodile Cafe) and tour name and what not in a small square, but all the letters are crammed together so you can't read what it actually says. That's what really got the most attention. I found it at a thrift shop near the university.

Flaming Lips: Got this at a tour show. The front and back is in japanese, and I'm told at least one side is a phonetic translation of "The Flaming Lips." Both sides are different panels of a comic strip in which a pink robot destroys itself because it has fallen in love with Yoshimi, who it was ordered to destroy. Ah robot tragedy!

The Floor Is made of Lava: So I saw this on a friend, then went and bought my own. I LOVE that game, though I used to pretend that the floor was hot molten peanut butter and the furniture and other items were giant graham crackers I was trying to traverse.

Andrew Bird: I got this while working one of his shows in Seattle. They were selling out fast, so I grabbed it and stuffed it out of sight while I sold merch to the fans. "What's that? you want a sky-blue Andrew Bird shirt? Sorry! We're all out (mwah ha ha)." then it got bleached in the wash and I got mad and ordered a new one.

Mandarin text: This one I bought in Taiwan, and a friend over there translated it for me and it says something along the lines of "Sex is emptiness, and emptiness is sex." Because of this, when I used to travel around town chinese people would come up to me with a grin on their face and ask me if I knew what it said.

Yo La Tengo: Procured this one from the same person who discarded that great Tom Waits shirt. It's from what might be my favorite Yo La Tengo album "Electr-o-pura." I'm anticipating disagreement on this stated opinion, but that has little to do with the shirt, which I've loved for many years.

And finally, Riyadh:

The story is already told, but it's worth noting that in the time I've had it, the world has seen three presidents (and the beginning campaign of whoever the next will be) and two wars in the mid-east. I've gone from thinking girls are "icky" to being married, and I've lived in three states. The shirt has been with my through every career decision and schooling I've been through since junior high (and seen the campuses of Washington Middle School and Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, North Seattle Community College, University of Washington, Shoreline Community College and University of Oregon) and as a result has endured pottery clay, photography chemicals and an incessant waft of cigarette smoke from concerts.

Goodbye good t-shirts! We knew ye well!