nautical flag trinket box in Polymer Clay for Everyone

Nautical flags are happy and colorful, and I just love them. But not only that, they actually spell stuff! I mean that each flag represents a letter of the alphabet.

In Polymer Clay for Everyone (my first book—oh yes, I love polymer clay, too), nautical flags decorate the top of a marine trinket box. And guess what!? They spell T-R-I-N-K-E-T-S.

nautical flags spell E-A-T at Long John Silver's

nautical flags spell H-E-R-E at Long John Silver's

Next time you’re near a Long John Silver’s restaurant, look for nautical flags that spell—can you imagine this?—E-A-T H-E-R-E. “Eat” is on the tall sign, and “here” is split in half on the long sign across the front of the building.

nautical flags spell D-U-C-K at Disney World

When Eva and I were at Disney World with her schoolmates, we saw this float in a parade. It spells D-U-C-K. (The K is in shadow at the bottom edge.) Whose float could that have been?

Someday I want to knit nautical flags into an afghan. Shouldn’t be too difficult. Garter stitch, I think. Then it will be up to you to unravel the hidden meaning.