Good Times

I am back in once peice more or less. As a reletively healthy person I almost never get colds and flu type things. This one was really nasty. I would like to thank who every covered me at work at work and I sorry to who ever's class i missed.

I woulkd also like to list some of the things that I accomplished while sick.

Watched every star wars movie. Watched six submarine movies 2 with Ernest Borgnine {He is a running theme in my illness, long story}. Watched American Gangster. Watched two McHale's Navy Movied on AMC. Then I remebered hulu.com {Thanks Ddancer}. I watched the first two seasons of McHale's Navy {69 Episodes of EB goodness}. Watched the first Season of Voyage to the bottom of Sea. Some of WKRP and two seasons of Barney Miller. And to finish it off the first two season of Airwolf. That is over 70 hour of Ernest Borgnine goodness. Did I mention I don't sleep much when I am sick.

Just for fun this is my favorite episode of WKRP

Part 2 of 3015 * Super Dolittle Scarf * Two Trash Cans

This is the next thing that I hate on my list. Yup this cute white dog. This dog sell Cesar Dog Food. Now you may be saying how can you hate such a cute little dog? Easy, this little guy is the result of generation or forced genetic mutation. This abomination is just another footnote Humanity's genetic medaling. We have all heard stories about Pit bulls attacking people unexpectedly. We these little guys are the ones that you have to look out for. In this furry little body beats the heart of a viscous wolf. He is only waiting for the proper time to strike. They will exact their revenge on the cruel world that created the deformed little frames.

This is why a wear Doc Martins at all times. When they have completed their recruiting and training they will strike. Packs of horrible little poof balls will charge out into the streets. They will bite every human they come in contact at the achilies tendon. They will drag people down and feast in horrific orgy of revenge and retribution.

Alright the actually reason is that a just prefer medium sized dogs. And the whole three thousand part series is just a put on. I suppose i am not as good as a running gag as i once was. I thought it was going somewhere funny. I was wrong, but, I digress.

For some actual knitting news this is the finished Super Do Little scarf. It comes out to just over five feet long. Perfect for Apprentice Stewart and her tiny little self. After the next practice i should have some pictures of her using it. We are still not certain how it will be added to the show. We need a bit more slap stick.

With the serious bulk of this thing it really does a good job flopping around. I have been considering hug pom poms on either end. We will see how that works out.

We have been looking for a way for her to know over the larger clowns in the Brigade. We have been working with a foam hammer. Unfortunately she cant hit them in the head because of the height difference. At the point we have been practicing her hitting them in the knees. This needless to say is bit violent. By the way I would like to thank the Mafia and Tony Soprano for messing up a perfectly good clown bit.

Well anyway I will keep you apprised on future development on the Super Dolittle scarf.

Onto some entirely irrelivant stuff. People have been asking me if the shop in East Liberty or Shady Side. Well I suppose I could look up in the ward map of the city. Still finding a real answer is a very boring way to solve this problem.

So I looked toe the ultimate authority of what a neighborhood is named, trash canes. Lo and behold there are two trash cans on Liberty Ave. They are situated at the entrance to our shoping complex. As you can they are on the boarder of East Liberty and Shady Side. This tells me two things. First there is no such thing as the East Side of Pittsburgh. If it were a real place it would have a trash can. That is just the natural order of things.

Also it tells me we have very lazy tagger in our neck of the woods. On the south side they climb the tenth street bridge to draw little pictures. Now those are taggers. Just a wanna be cursive name on a ground level object with a flat side. Please, my granny follows behind moving trucks and buses on a skate board to tag. If it is a long enough stretch of road she can do a whole mural. She just finished on of Milford Brimly beating up Donny Osmond. Grands Ma Ma does hate that new rock and roll so.

If you have been brave enough or board enough to keep reading to this point you might want to know one thing. Which side of the Trash can demarcation is the shop on. I supposed that would be the third peice of information I learned from the Trash cans. Well there is also the fact they about half full of McDonald Pie boxes. Interestingly the Shady side one is more full of them than the East Liberty one. No wait that is the third thing and the Shady Side pie eaters is the fourth.

So the fifth thing would be the fact that Natural Stitches in on the Shady Side side. Well I get off the bus at East Liberty Station. So even though the trashcan say one thing I am going with East Liberty. Besides you would have to be silly to judge thing by trash can.

We have a good night everyone. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

All the things that I hate.

O.K. so thre is not enough room in blogger to list all the stuff I dislike. There perhapses might be enough to list the things that I truely hate. maybe there is enough room if I don't use pictures.

So this will be part 1 of 3015 part series. Number 1 on the list of course is Mimes. I figure I do not have to explain this one. Everyone knows why they are evil

Number 2 is the flu. I have only gotten it back two or three times. This time is the worst. I am past the sick to my stomach part. I am still congested and incredibly soar. I have even been too grumpy and soar to knit much.

I did manage to finish the last cast off row on the super dolittle scarf. When I feel less like trash I will take a picture.

Be safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.

Sally & Me and Viewer Mail

This is Sally and I at Natural Stitches. We are in the Malabrigo section after the store closed today.

It is a good thing I am a Red Heart Knitting. One could get in trouble alone in the Malabrigo section of a yarn shop.

Well I wanted to take a couple minuted to answer some viewer questions. Lou asked if I wear the kilt often. Well I wear it about once a week. And it is the Gunn tartan.

Another viewer asked if I had ever thought of a clown version of the Baby surprise sweater. Well I don't recall if I have knit and adult version of that. I have knit a couple baby versions over the years. At least one was in insanely loud color and it was knit for a clown's baby. I will say that this person's suggestion has gotten me thinking. I will have to get back to you if I do some experimenting.

I am just about to finish up the second color on the Dolittle scarf. I will post some pictures when I start the next color.

Happy Easter everyone. Be safe out there.

The Actual Dolittle Scarf

After much playing around with the original design I have finally settle on what will be the Dolittle Scarf. It will be two of the original Dolittle scarves with the cast ons intertwined. Instead of two ruffled there will be four. Also it will be made out of the Old Stand by Red Heart. The Colors will be Mexicana {Like you had to guess} blue, red and yellow. The last three are Salvation Army color and the first three clown rank colors of the Brigade.

The picture is of me working on it a Men's Knit Night at Natural Stitches. You cannot really make it out, Still, I am wearing my Bad Knit Girls Tee Shirt. It just came in from Cafe Press. I am thinking of using this service for the Clown Brigade. They do have a nice product.

Just for fun there is a picture of me in a kilt standing next to the Malabrigo in the shop. We go in several new colors today. If you are a Malabrigo junky this is a good time to stop into the shop.

Well Airplane II is on the televisor. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

A Vicdast or Vlog or Something

I am not sure what you call this thing. and a couple people who know more about it then I do have a couple different names.

Any way Walt and I have taken some video of this and that. Most of it even has to do with knitting. The idea for Yarn N'at was hatched at the Tuesday evening Ravelry group at the shop.

Each episode is going to include and interview and some other yrany stuff. We are still not sure what other yarny stuff is. I am open to suggestions as always. If you would like to be interviewed or have a neat project you are working on drop me an email, leave a post that sort of thing.

Be safe out there everyone and keep your stick on the ice.

Busy Busy

I have been working on several pointless things over the last week. First among them is another Dolittle scarf. The Punk Rock Girls on the Ravelry are work on a fund raiser type thing. I am making this scarf for that.

See it is punk rock type colors with the pink and black. It is made from Dark Horse Fantasy. Actually I am having a great deal of fun making this type of scarf. This is the second or third one that I have made. After I finish this one I am going to make the one for Apprentice Stewart.

Also on the strange project front I am now the proud host of a vidcast. At least I think that is what it is supposed to be called. I am going to do skits and interview knitters. The first knitter had been interviewed and the episode is just about to come together.

We have called the vidcast Yarn N'at. I has not take that long to put one of these things together. I am truely disturbed by how little talent and skill one needs for one of these things. I can see why the youtube thing. I don't know what half the stuff involved in making it is called. And still, I am able to put one of these things together. Truely amazing stuff.

Be safe out here everyone and keep your stick on the ice.

Random Stuff - Pom Poms _ Clown Practice

Something that I know is troubling all those folks out there is how do you get a good pom pom out of red heart.

Well over to the side here I have a sort of step by step picture thing. And if you are wonder yes we get very snap happy with the camera at Hive Knitting.

Anyway you get this plastic thing and you wrap yarn around it. They you cut the yarn at the edge of the gizmo. Then you tie some more yarn around the center of the mass of yarn you have made. Then you have yourself a pom pom.

I am sure that is the informative rant about how to make pom poms If you honestly wanted me to go on and on about Red Heart Pom Pom I am sorry. Come into the store and I can sell you the gizmo and a promise I will talk to you about endless for at least ten minutes.

By the way this pom pom is the largest pom pom that you can currently get from Clover.

For anyone that is interested this is a large pom pom that will be going at the top of Apprentice Stewart hat for her costume.

Of course being a clown hat it must have the largest and bestest pom pom that you can get.

Onto other very important things. Someone wanted to know where I got a cut out of a Boston Terrier.

I printed out a dog I downloaded from the interweb. I then glued it on some corrugated cardboard. Moving on.

For those of you that are keeping up with the picture over to the left I am tying off the mass of yarn there. I have found that to be one of the most interesting part of the process.

Since this is such a long series of picture I am taking this moment to have an intermission. So the next thing here is a clip from our practice tonight.



Practice was fun tonight. As you can see , if you bothered to watch the pointless video, I started juggling torches again. So I am not back to where I was, still, it is nice be moving along to regain ground.

By the way if you are still following the pom pom action you pull the gizmo apart and fluff the ball. Great Stuff I know.

Back to the clown stuff. I may not be the worlds greatest juggler. Never the less I have always liked it.

One of the best parts of being a Clown is sharing the knowledge with other people. Having Apprentice Prealue just starting out on her juggling is great. Even in my beat up state I can still pass on that knowledge to others.

Life is good at the shop. I still have a hard time believing that I get paid to sit around a big room full of yarn. What is not to like.

I have also been have a couple people take classes. No men yet but a few kids and the Machine classes are doing well.

Well life is good. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

O Bobmas Tree O Bobmas Tree

Ahhhhh it is that magical time of the year that time when little yarnie people get together and celebrate their stringy craft. You may be saying to yourself there is a holiday for this. Why yes, yes there is. That wonder and perfect time of year is a called Bobmas.

Those of you that are not using the Ravelry may be saying to yourself has Z hit his head or something. The Bobmas is the anniversary of the Ravelry.

At Natural Stitches we will be getting together at 6:00 PM on April 12th to give thanks for this yarnie goodness. We will do so with offering of food in pots. Yes the traditional Pot Luck of the Bobmas season.

Alright so there are no traditions and we are making it up. That is the best kind of holiday. I mean who picked Santa Claus. What were they thinking? Fat guy in a suit flying around in a sled.

Anyway if you want to show up for this send an email to the shop at shop@naturalstitches.com. Isn't that clever shop at Natural Stitches. Well I think it is clever. Back to the subject at hand. If your would like to some to the Pot Luck bring a pot of a tasty food and let us know that you are are going to be there. That way we will have enough chairs.

Onto other things we have Ravelry night and had a good time as always. We decorated the Bobmas dog. By the way that is the lit up thing in the picture. It has pom poms made from Mexicana. What more could you want?


Someone sent me a Lol Cat that inffered that cats do not know how to use entertainment equipment. Be safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.

Apprentice Vest.

This is an Apprentive vest for Apprentice Speigle. I am at the putting on the trim stage of the vest. I know it is terribly exciting. By the way putting on the second peice like this is done so that it is stronger. It will have a zipper so I would like it to be a bit stronger.

In finishing my sweater everyone decided that they did not like the snaps very much. So everyone wants to switch to zippers. So we are just going the way of Mr. Rogers and will be doing the zipper.

If I get the thing done my Wednesday we will see what it looks like on someone.

Just wanted to check in. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Party Time

I did not make it to South Hills Knitting tonight. The cult had to meet without me. Their next meeting will be the same night as the next Men's Night

On the up side. the guys have been talking about meeting more than once a month. In April we are going to intentionally schedule them on the opposite evening from the Cult Meeting. It will be nice to get to those meeting on a regular basis.

Jamie from Hive Knitting interviewed for a job a Natural Stitches today. That is her dancing there. I suppose the interview went well.

I did get to mess around with the apprentice Vest against today. The vest has a slightly different design. We will see how they go.

Be safe out there everyone and keep your stick on the ice.

No Pictures Good Machine

I am not able to post pictures again. Some day I might get annoyed enough that I actually move to a better thing. At this point I am not that annoyed.

I had a class in the Bond knitting machine today. It was the first class where the person liked the machine and had used it. Up until this point everyone that has taken the class has been having trouble with the machine. It was like having an advance machine class.

If I am not mistaken I even have people signed up for other machine knitting classes. It is nice that the classes are beginning to have people signing up for them.

I am going to look for a baby sweater pattern and put together a class for it.

On other subjects a new knitter out there has started posting a blog. Jamie, who attends Hive Knitting, has a started a blog. Jamie gets in Trouble is the name and if the gizmo worked it is also the link. If you get a chance stop by.

And on a slightly related subject Jamie just had her hair done. It is braided and really cute. Compliment her hair if you get the chance. Our manager Melissa also got a hair cute that is really nice. I never did feel right complimenting women's hair. Still, it is like new shoes it always has to be noted.

We got in a bunch of Denise stuff at the shop. Long time readers will know that I am a fan of the old style Needle Master from Boye. Incidentally when i make billion of Dollar I am going to buy Red Heart and Boye from who ever own them and turn them into a super knitting corporation. My Red Heart Boye Cooperation will buy Malibrigo and slap a big Red Heart on it so we can sell it at Natural Stitches.

Oh that brings me back to the stuff we are selling at Natural Stitches. I am not much for hucking stuff on my blog. By the way that will change when i have a book to sell but I digress. They have started to sell individual needles. This is something that I have always liked about the Needle Masters. I just like that sort of thing. If you haven't tried them give them a shot.

And like every good wreck this post will now come to a sudden and abrupt end. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Apprentice Vest

Work continues on making uniform for the Brigade. Since most of the clowns would rather have vests we have switches to making vests. Pictured is we working on the yellow trim that goes on an Apprentice Vest. If I recall correctly this one is for Apprentice Speigel. If I am lucky I will be able to finish it before practice tonight. If not then it will be another week.

Hive Knittting had a small group this week for our first cup cake night. Still at one point we only had myself and my wife. With the move to Joseph Beths we are starting to climb out of the cellar. None of the old people have returned but we are getting new people.

Ravelry K2tog was huge. We had around thirteen people. I do think this may have been our largest knit together to date across the boards.

Just checking in be safe out there everyone and keep your stick on the ice.

I Can't Seperate the Little Paper Things

Once upon a time I used to make cup cake a great deal. Marrying a diabetic that doesn't like it when I use the kitchen has curtailed this to a certain degree. I discovered today that I cannot pull the little paper cups apart. No great horror could face a cup cake day.

I am fairly certain that each of my cup cakes has five or six paper cups. I wonder if this will effect their baking time. Each of the cup cakes is turning out even though there is half a tree around each of them.

I imagine that there is a machine out there that would do this for me more efficiently that I can do it. The only problem is that it probably costs a ton of money.

Various books continue to move along. The last week I have been concentrating on Knitting For War. AS I throw together the text together I must now look to getting stuff knitted. I have a couple scarves, hats and mittens already done. This leaves a few more hats, helmet liner and the sweaters that need to be done.

In the up side I have more of the items done for the clown section. Although I think we are going to add the Dolittle Hat and Scarf to the mix as well. We have also been kicking around knitting and crocheting squares that will be used in blankets. That would probably be another section.

With all of the family stuff calming down I should be able to be able to move forward on that fairly well. The Etsy should should also be a useful thing in this endeavor. Being that I do not have a chair of book store that will probably be my best place to sell this thing.

Be safe out there everyone and keep you stick on the ice.

Strange Stuff

It takes a lot for me to think something is odd. With my background there is usually not much that surprises me. One of the things that has surprised me is something that we are doing in our newsletter. We have a couple of these newsletters under our belt. So we are closing in on a fairly good format for the thing.

In the last issue we added a new feature. An advice column that is supposedly written by the shop's cat Raven. Only one human responded to the article. Everyone else wrote message from their pets. With the popularity of LOL Cats I should have guessed that the pet people would take this thing to an odd place. So here I am responding to email from Cats and dogs.

Oddly this is the first thing that we have had several people respond to in the Newsletter. We have asked for finished objects from customer and have only received one with pictured. The cat wants to say something and we get half a dozen replies.

This is the URL to get the shop's newsletter. Even if you do not live in Pittsburgh it is a good little read.: http://www.naturalstitches.com/Newsletter.html

Also if you would like to send your own question to Raven you can send that at raven@naturalstitches.com

We are also going to be posting responses from Raven on this Ravelry group. At the moment Raven is waiting for Ravelry invite. Never the less he has his own group at : http://www.ravelry.com/groups/raven-the-shop-cat

Feel free to join in the fun. Be save out there and keep your stick on the ice.