In preparation for church this Sunday I thought this would be nice.

Your Knitting Could Save the World.

It has been a long day. I have still been working on my black bag. I even took some time out to crochet a wash rag. It is blue and I will bring it to the Monday group to show that still can.

The Hive Knitting blog is coming along nicely. Well I think so.

The Police are playing on the internet radio and I have been thinking about the last couple decades. I remember when my greatest fear was not hitting my mark in a routine or dropping a club in front of my mentor. Now we worry about hair gel on planes and death from above.

As someone on another blog suggested today knitting can keep one from committing homicide. So as you are knitting today remember you may be the last line of civilization. Be proud of yourselves. I will be here packing up my spare knitting needles and yarn. I think I am going to send it to Osama to end the current conflict.

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

Savage Chicken Fix

I live on a dead end street with a stair well at the other end. Well there was a new guy that tore down me Street at top speed for two blocks until he came to the stair well. I have not heard him anymore.

Still Working on Hive Knitting

Still working on the Hive Knitting Blog. I added a place for joining Hive Knitting’s Yahoo Group. I also enlarged the text on the side bar. I know that is terrible edgy still I think we can take it. And a email was sent to the member who are on the yahoo group. If you have attended the group and would like to post email me. Some one put up a hive shaped hat on Punk Rock Knit Girls. Those folks really are very nice.

I have been crocheting for the last day. I feel a little dirty. Logically I know that crocheting is not the devil’s work, still, it is not as good as knitting. Nothing is that good. Well any way here is some Savage Chicken to take your minds off things


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

Up Again - Munhall this time

It is super early in the morning and I am up once again. I am practicing my crocheting mainly for yucks. I do not practice it enough because of the vast superiority of knitting. This is after all a knitting blog.

I did post my first message with the sci fi knitting people. I sent them a picture of the long scarf. With Dr. Who and all it was the most sci fi thing I had a picture of. Perhaps I will knit a tribble. Well if anyone else is up you should be in bed. All reasonable people are sleeping right now.

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

Another Mile Stone

This is a picture of a scarf I knit a couple years back. This is a good example of 90 foot scarf. It is used for clown routines. For those of you that have been asking what a clown knits well this is one of those things.

Any way the thing I find interesting is that I did not take this picture and I discovered it on the Steel City Knitter Blog {See Side Bar}. Perhapse it is just me and some sort of silly pride but I am could not beleive that someone would think this was that interesting to take a picture of it and placing it on a blog. I cried it was such a happy moment. Well I didn't cry because I am a manly male knitter who makes big manly scarves in rainbow colors that I use while wearing heavy make up. Well maybe I am not that manly, still, I have a bigger scarf then you do and isn't that all that really matters?

This is so cool I will have to put on other blogs. Thank you Steel City Knitter this is the nicest thing that has happened to me all week.

be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Long Scarves

For those that attend the Wednesday Knitting Group I will be bring two long scarves. The first is a 25 footer that was my first knitting project. It is acrylic in red yellow and blue. For those that have seen me stand kettle that is the scarf that I have worn for many many years.

The second still needs to have the ends knit in, which takes a while on a 90 foot scarf. I have not had occassion to use this one so I never knit the ends in. It is made from red heart mexicana yarn that does not appear to be made any more.

I am sure that the Red Heart people are reading my blog, just as important yarn manufactures all of the world do daily. So start making that yarn again or you are going to have alot of angry clown on your hands. And there is nothing worse then that.

By the way both are done in garter stich that is traditional for such an item.

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

New Knitters and a Possible Fire Sale

Monday was a long day. We went to that fire at the Crazy Horse at the Great Southern Shopping Center. I am happy to report the Joann's is still standing and only has some minor smoke damadge. There may be some cheep yarn there now. So even fire is a good thing for knitting on occassion.

Hive Knitting marks a mile stone in my quest to get more men knitting. For the first time since I have been in the Circus I have been at a knitting group where there were more men tham women. And two of the men that were there had learned to knit recently. One was learning that evening. At that meeting another young lady was also learning to knit. Life is good.

Also with Hive Knitting we are going to start a blog for the knitting group. Any person that attends the group is welcome to post. We will be putting up picture of what we are working on and the fun times that we have there. I hope you stop by. We are setting it up now and will start posting at our next meeting.

The baby blanket is coming along nicely and will probably be done this week. The black bag is still creeping along as well. I am trying to figure out what pattern to put in the front flap. Thanks to the ladies at Punk Rock Knit Girls i am seriously considering a jolly roger. Well as always I am up for suggestions.

Bellow is some Savage Chicken

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

Today is a sad day.....

I like this monkey. He is a nice monkey that I imagine to be named Ruppert. Someday I must make a monkey like Ruppert. I have too many projects to start another one. And yes I know that many think there can never be enough unfinished objects. Still, I gusse that is why I am project oriented. Well Ruppert I will make you one day.

On other fronts the black bag lurches along. The pink scarf also had very little progress as well.

I am trying to make some sort of doll. I recall the Flesh Cactus from the Ides of March March on the Sourth Side. They were really cool. I always came back to Pittsburgh in early March so that i could take part. I will let you know when I get close to having one finished.

There is also the matter the socks and other projects that are sitting around. I will finish them all one day.

The Hive Knitting we be tommarrow as it always is on Mondays at 7:00 PM. Everyone come down that can. I have had several people say that they are interested in coming. It will be nice if they would come.

The group has been going along nicely. We have had at least five people a week. There are usually a couple of guests a week and there are a dozen or so people that come montly or irregularly. From what I have seen most of the groups that have met on the South Side have not met for very long. It looks as if they last a few month. From people that I have talked with none of the groups have made it through the summer. Well it is good to see that we are beating the curve.

Charity Knitting was very nice at knit 1 this week. The staff was spending most of their time recovering from the aftermath of the saturday sale. It did look as if they had sold off large amounts of their stock and were restocking it. Well it is good to see the store I like doing well.

There were several people there who are apart of the Tuesday group that meet at Knit 1. Fun was had by all and I put several inches on the baby blanket for the book.

I have been allowed to join the sci fi knit a long. They seem like a nice group I will look forward to powsting with them.

bellow is another serving of Savage Chicken.

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

It is Late

It is late and the hounds are out. I have worked on various writting projects while I am waiting for our Unit to come back to station. I am almost finished with the Spencer novel I am on and I need more super chucky for the baby blanket I am working on. Perhapse I should join the midnight knit along I saw a few days ago.

I cannot lure either one of my pets close enough to the web camera to take their picture. They must think there is something wrong with me because I keep pointing the plastic ball at them. Well I am going to try and take a cat nap between reports.

If anyone else it still up you should be asleep. I know I should be. Have a good morning.

Hive Knitting Logo

I am working on a web thing for Hive Knitting. I have never made one before. Well as always I am looking for suggestions. There is a Bee Hive and the word knitting. Well my longer and more important entry for the day is bellow.

Be safe out there

Speaking of the Murphys someone sent me some MP3s of their guy playing the chanter. I have not known many groups that play the chanter. I would imagine they have a bit of Irish influence. Still, it is nice to hear the old instruments being use in modern music.

Not much knitting was acomplished today. I did come across a Sci Fi knit a long. I submitted a request to join. It is getting to the point that I am writting about knitting nearly as much as I am knitting. Perhapse I should start a zine or something.

Anyway this knit along uses picture of sci fi charaters to respresent the various members. Judging by the pictures I would be the first male in the group so that gives me some possibilities. I went with old standard Captain Kirk, a young Captain Kirk. At first I was considering Dr. Who but which one. Then there was Han Solo a space Pirate would go well for. For those that know I am working on my own sci fi novel I did think about using the hero from my book. Well one I don't have any picture and she is a woman.

Any way they have used Star Trek, Farscape, Red Dwarf, Lord of the Kings, Buffy, Queen of the Damned, Futurerame, Battal Star Galactica and even the Fritc Lang Movie Metropolis for their pictures. I don't think I have seen a group of women into sci fi like that. And if you were able to pick out those sources from the collection of photos that were theren then you to are as big a geek as I am. Well if any one has a suggestions I am always open to it.

Bellow is some more Savage Chicken. I used the Klingon one yesterday. Well this is funny as well.

It bring up a nagging fear that I have always had about Meg Ryan. I don't know, she just scares me a bit. Perhapse it is because I am a Dennis Quaid fan. Well that you got mail movie bothers me on multiple levels for reason that I will not go into. She beat up Billy Crystal for an entire movie. I know that it is the writters fault. Still, she spends a great deal of time beating up her male counterparts in her movies. Maybe I have been forced to watch Sleepless in Seatle too many times. My wife has a rigged up dentist's chair with shackles that she uses to forces me to watch it. I think there are subliminal messages init that makes people want to date jerks. And I am certainit works on women and men.

Well, be careful out there and keep you stick on the ice.

Am I Crazy & Savage Chicken

The Natasha had five items listed on her site and suggested that people do word association with them. This was my result. The first word is the list that was posted. The second is the first thing that came to mind when I read those words. She suggested that Freud would be interested in my answers.

1. lick = Kitty
2. snoot = dirigable
3. whisker = turtle
4. number = panzy
5. plastic = chicken

Well to deffend my sanity. The cat was bathing himself. I had a turtle named Whisker. I think the one guys from the T.V. show Numbers is a panzy. I own a collection of plastic and rubber chickens. As for snoot and dirigable that means that I have a severe bipolar disorder that involves a fear that I will be hit in the nose by a large crashing ridged airship. When ever I think of either item it emediately and radically alters my mood.

I don't think that my answers have any reflection of my sanity. Except for naming my turtle Whisker. That obviously means I want to dye my hair pink and get a giant tatoo of Bengi the dog on my back. The Tatoo would picturing Benji kicking the daylights out of Keanu Reeves in swooping Kung Fu move.

Well there is a more sain and possibly even touching entry bellow this one.

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

Friday Random Stuff

I have been accepted to the Ohh Bag Me group. I like being alphabetically last. In the knitting blogs it is as if I am letting all the ladies go first.


In addition the Punk Rock Girls are very freindly. They even mentioned that I was male in their introduction. Even though I do not doubt their finding it is very flattering that they would alter their blog for me. I must admit that when Stephieface suggested I join I was suspicous. I am not much for pink. Which I am sure is some sort of male role forced upon me by society. In addition men with beards have a hard time getting though the day wearing pink. Still the knitting and rock and roll more then make up for it.

As I listen to the Drop Kick Murphys I find myself reconsidering the premis of this blog. For six months I have gone out on the web looking for the knitting brotherhood. Simultaniously I have been looking for that brotherhood here in Pittsburgh. I must admit that I have not found the brotherhood that I set out looking for. I have found a couple of guys knitting. I even started teaching a guy how to knit. I started a knitting group in my neighborhood and attend a couple else where. In the process I have met alot of very nice ladies and girls. My wife has even started crocheting again during this process.

It would be nice if knitting was a manly art again. Still, the knitting community is doing well without massive male participation. I have always known the craft was the most important thing. The odd thing is the sort of people that I have met in the past few years. In the circus why we were there was always clear. And why we knit was just as clear. And even though we were all individuals we have more in common with one another then most groups. The greater knitting community that I have been a part of does not have such common threads amoung their members {pardon the pun}.

There are no finantial, social or cultural boundries in the knitting community. There are not many places in the world like that. As an outsider you get to know the restrictions and boudaries that are out there. And the few places where there are not many boudaries are few and far between.

And I have already noted that this might be because there are not many men involved in this community. Never the less it is nice regaurless of the motivation.

Have a good Evening and Keep your stick on the ice.

Ever have one of Those Days?

Thursday Knitting Group

It does appear that the group that met at the Panera bread is no longer meeting. It is sad because that was the first group that I was attending when I returned from Iowa. I had hope that it was some sort of unexspected summer hiatus. Well they were not there today and I am sad.

On another front. With the camera I supposed I should start posting pictures of what I am working on. this is the pink scarf. It is about a third done and probably should have been done in a couple days. I simply have not put in the time that it deserves.

The black bag also lurches along slowly. Life has just been hectic on a couple fronts.

Thank you for reading, have a good evening. Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

punk rock gift exchange questionaire Again

My questionaire rolled off my page so I am posting is again


1) How long have you been spinning/Knitting/Crocheting? 18 years

2) Do you consider yourself a beginner, novice, or experienced Yarn Artist? experinced

3) What type of fibers have you worked with? Acrylic, mohair, wool, llama, wire, all kinds of stuff

4) What types are you dying to try? I've already worked with most stuff

5) Are you allergic to anything, (Fibers, Food, Smells that make you want to puke, etc.)? Just bees

6) Do you have any Disorders, ex: Diabetes? Arthritis

7) What is your Favorite Time/Style period, ex: Romatic, Grecian,Metal, Goth,etc? Colonial America, 1940's

8) What fibers do you dislike? Do not really have a dislike.

9) Name some of your favorite Artist, Movie wise, Television if you watch it ex: I heart Keanu, some things cant be helped, and Rachel loves Mike Ness !? Judy Dench, Liam Neeson, Helen Hunt, Harrison Ford,

10) Whos your favorite Character ex: Jack or Cpt Jack? Horatio Hornblower

11) Do you prefer natural colored fibers, or handpainted/dyed fiber? I like artifical fibers.

12) What are you favorite colors? reds, blues, pruple

13) What colors do you dislike? Flurecent

14) What projects are you currently working on? Knitting bag, Pink scarf, todler sweater, kilt socks

15) Do you have a wishlist?

16) Do you have any other favorite hobbies? Carpentry, juggling, canoeing

17) Whens your birthday?(mm/dd) Thanks Rach' june 19

18) What is your favorite food, candy, scents that you love!! Etc.? Fetuccini Alfredo, Stash licorish spice tea, rock candy, root beer logs,

19) Are you pierced at all? Any tattoos? Can you/would you wear jewelry that real? I only wear my wedding rings. Don't wear jewelry because of my proffession. Working on my first tatoo that would give away my identity.

20) What do you like Culturally, ex: Celtic, African, Devil Worshiping, Kidding!? Scotland,

21) What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? hand made wrap, rolling tote for classes, boxes, on the computer table. In the rafters in my basement and a couple other places

22) What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) My computer can play MP3 and I like rock, bag pipes, old school rap, clasical, techno. all kinds of stuff

23) What's your favorite season and why? winter I like snow

24) What season do you abhor? Summer I don't like heat and there is no snow

25) How about Sports, any that you just cant get enough of or do they make you throw up in your mouth just a little? I played soccer, cricket, baseball I don't like watching sports.

26) What is your family situation Do you live alone? I live with my significant othrer and various animals

27) Do you have any pets? Yes

28) Do you like handmade gifts? not really

29) What’s your favorite thing to make, knit/crochet or other craft wise? hats, scarves, vests

30) Do you prefer straight or circular needles? strait

31) Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yes

32) Tell us how you learned to knit/crochet? I learned as part of my training for my job

33) Do you enjoy getting helpful hints from others or does it just piss you off? I like advice

34) How old is your oldest UFO? 5 weeks

35) Is there anything that you collect? books, balls, tools

36) Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

37) What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have if any? Knit 1, Rebbecca, Vogue Knitting

38) Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? i just need to practice what i know

39) Do you enjoy knitting socks? How big are yer boats (feet)? My boats are really big.Yes I like knitting socks

40) Deleted

More Savage Chicken

In honor of there being seven people I have come in contact with having a cold, getting a cold or talking about a cold on their blog. I am running the three cold cartoon from Savage Chicken.

My Camera & Creepy Clowns

The black bag is moving along as always at a slow rate. I am very pleased with the baby blanket. And the scarf is doing alright.

I currently working on a pattern for a super bulky children's sweater. I do not have any one to knit a sweater for so I will knit one for someone that I do not know. If I make it todler sized it should move along quickly. I think it would also be a nice addition to the booklet if it does not look awful when I am finished with it.

In other news I did get a web camera that will work with me very old computer. On the down side I have to lure my cat near the computer in order to take his picture. The dog is scared to death of the camera. So there will probably not be picture of Sally soon. Zoltan is a media whore. He will do anything to get any sort of attention.

Some one did question what the pager thing was that I mentioned in the entry when I was answering questions posted by Natasha. One of the questions was to reach out and touch somthing to my left. Next to my computer is this pager thing. If anyone is into old electronics you may recognise this as a device that one uses to activate pagers. Now adays people just use a computer. The type of system we use to activate pagers does not work well with DSL internet connections. Just bellow the pager gizmo is the shelf that holds the map books. The map books were also featured prominately in that same entry. You may also recognise the high quality furniture the paging station is sitting on as a milk crate. Yes I spare no expense in my private office. It is much like the oval office except not as many crayons and coloring books and probably more yarn.

A very brave person visited my blog using what appears to be their real name. I do beleive the FBI is keeping a file on everyone that visits my blog so be warned. Although I think they are doing it for some sort of case study in mania. Anyway Jamie Fritz was one of the female MENSA knitters who stopped by Knit on on Sunday. I made a synical observation about there being no male MENSA knitters. Well thank you for visiting Jamie, this will be the noted in your file. And the male MENSA knitter are Chickens, which leads me to the next part of my entry, the Cartoon.

By the way it is proven fact that people who ready the comics first live longer than people who start with any other part of the paper. Your tax money found out what any clown could tell you Humor is good for you.

The next thing I would like to ramble on about are scary clowns. Namely the Cirque de Soleil clowns. I am convince that everyone who is affraid of clowns is really of these clowns. The good people at Savage Chicken put it in a way that I thought should be shared.

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

Hive Knitting

Hive Knitting was good for Labor Day. Much fellowship was had and a few laughs. I frogged the Blue Baby blanket. I was not pleased with the boarder and it needed to be a little wider. The changes should make is a nice addition to the knitting booklet. My wife is working a crocheted baby blanket that should also go nicely in the booklet.

On other front the black bag grew another milimeter today. The pink scarf made no progress.

Well not much going on just wanted to check in. Everybody be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

There will be Hive Knitting Tonight. It is not that we have no respect for the labor movement. It is simply that we all have a compultion and cannot stop no matter what. It may not be mentally healthly still we are going to be knitting today any way. Besides we have thirteen people on memorial day so holidays are good for us. I can't wait until Christmas fall on a monday.

Also because the rolling Knitting Thing is fixed I will be able to bring all of my equipment.

I hope to see everyone there. Be safe and keep your stick on the ice.

The frustrating world of the male knitter continues. The Black Bag continues very slowly and I am going even slower on the Booklet.

I have four or five books out and I cannot put together a coherent text on how to knit. I know I will do it eventually it is simply the frustration of the beginning stages.

Never the less I am encouraged by hor supportive many of the knitter I know have been of this project. I have received five pattern and the aforementioned help from an area designer.

By the way this is another chicken Comic. My wife is reading one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Books. I thought this was funny. Oh and the Solution to the Lance Lawson comic from before is bellow. I know they are silly but like so many silly things they entertain me.

SOLUTION: Lance knew the woman lied about being home because she had not yet taken in the morning paper.

Another very nice day was had at Charity Knitting. I am half way through a blue baby blanket made from super chunky Galaxy yarn. I MENSA group dropped by to take a feild trip. There were no men with them. Apparently intelect is not enough to get over the male knitting phobia.

The new set of casters on my knitting case are working well. Well it is really not a knitting case. It is a large rolling tackle box for fishing. Still, it is a manly color. In addition it has large open spaces and not the cute little boxes insdie of boxes that most craft cases have. Since I already have made cases and holdersz for my needles and other euqipment this works best for me. And it is not pink or powder blue.

Speaking of pink I put a couple more inches on the pink scarf for my Neice/God Daughter. It is your basic 2 by 2 ribbed pattern. It is excelent practice for ribbing. And it is Pink. I will make sure to get pictures for the Punk Rock Girls they are all about pink. It looks as if they are starting a gift exchange. That could be very interesting. Although it would give me chance to use a skull and cross bone pink bag pattern that I have. I am not sure why I have this pattern but I do. Perhapse it is all part of a greater knitting plan that I am only a small part of.

One thing I have noticed about the Punk Rock Knit Girls is even though they fly the Jolly Roger there is not mention of Pirates. I should ask why there is a lack of Pirates on the blog. Perhapse they are more into the knitting and punk rock. Or maybe they beat up the Pirates and stole their flag. I will sepnd more time on this late on the Punk Rock Knit Girls Blog.

I am also thinking of having these little pictures beside each entry in the area I am talking about. Perhapse even color coding the entries. There is no good reason for me to state this. In addition it is probably a silly idea. Still that is the story of my life. I should probably also break down and get photoshop on my home computer so I can made a little picture thingy for Hive Knitting.

Also on another knitting front a complete idea has formed around knitting booklet that would be used during presentations aimed at getting people knitting for our Shelter. The Booklet would have a section on how to knit. Suggestions about types of yarn to use. And I am hoping about thirty public domain or original patterns. A very nice Lady from the Wednesday Group at the Water Front has agree to deisign a hat and scarf set. I am about to finish up a basic baby blanket in Super Chunky and am working on a simple sweater for todlers. If any one has suggestion please let me know. You can email me or post on this blog.

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

Actual Knitting Stuff & Thanks Knit 1 & Women Knitters

Well I continue to knit even though I have been going on about a lot of things that have nothing to do with knitting. Although, I have been reading many many blogs about knitting that often have a great deal to do with many other things. I never fail to be amazed by the sort of people that are knitting out there. I am also surprised the the compassion that is out there for serving people. Many of the blogs I have visited are knitting for chartiy one way or another. Many are knitting for Children in Hospitals. As I and many others have observed babies enter the world with nothing except for a hat. I love the fact that you can have nothing and still you get a hat. I really like hats.

Still, I wanted to plug a group I attend in a fairly selfish way. It is after all my blog. And both of my fans tune in to hear me ramble on. On Sundays from 1 until 4 the generous people out a Knit 1 are kind enough to give yarn for people to come in a and knit thing for The Salvation Army Family Crisis Center here in Pittsburgh. This group has already produced a large box of items that will be put into use by families in need. I wish to thank them for their time and effort. Oh and go there and buy stuff. The place is huge and as a lot of stuff. They have a nice web site that I will be putting a link to soon.

I will be there late this week. The Corps is having a planning meeting and I have to be there. If any one does come I will be the one with the beard and the blue uniform. And proabably the only guy there.

As for my knitting the black bag continues and I am wondering what to knit next for Knit 1. I have a skein of Galaxy Yarn from the hat I did, perhapse a scarf. Or I could get some more Galaxy and do a baby blanket. I always love doing baby blankets especially in chunky yarn.

I would also like to note my membership with the Punk Rock Knit Girls. Everyone has been very nice there. Stephieface suggested that I join. Groups of men tend to compete with one another. When guys are blogging they talk about how their stuff is the best and that they are better than everyone else. This is not something that I have noticed on the female knitting blogs. Well I wanted to thank tem for the warm welcome. As for knitting things in pink I am working a scarf and mitten for my God Daughter and Neice.

Well be safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.

I saw this comic and it go me thinking. My knitting Blog needs a comic stip since I do not have very many pictures of my knitting. Still there is only so much time you can spend attacking the New Yord Times.

There is also the possibilty of using an old comic like this Lance Lawson Comic. By the way I will give the solution to this one tommarrow.

Still I think this savage Chicken Comic strip is more the speed of Blog. As always I am open to suggestions even suggestions about the Savage Chicken.

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

The Beloved Mayor of Pittsburgh lost his battle with Cancer this evening.

Penny Wiggins

Just to continue on rambeling about useless information that I know. Penny Wiggen started as a clown. She is now working as the assistant of The Amazing Jonathan. As Psychic Tanya she plays does the dumb blond routine for his act.

Even thought their show is not for most, and is in many ways an example of what is wrong with show biz, it can be funny.
Polictically Correct may not be a good discription of this routine. Still, his Vegas show was not as vulgar as some of his other work. Perhapse they are growing up.

Answering Velma

A few entries ago I was rambeling on about large needles and other reletively unimportant things. She wanted to know where people knit with three and a half foot needles. The answer is no where that I know of currently. I leanred in the Circus from some people that were so old school that it was painful. When we knit it was often in groups.

Say for instance you were working on a 90 foot scarf several people would work on the scarf. When one person was tired of knitting the next person would continue. So a large project could be comepleted with in one's life time. The same was also true for projects like blankets that you would knit on the 3 and half foot needles.

If you can imagin it, you would hold the neddles like pencils. You would rest the needle on your fore arms to hold the weight. For those who get annoyed by the backing up of their knitting on circular needles at the joint between the needle and cord this is the ultimate way around this. Some of our people could even knit tandem. Each person would hold a needle. If a pair was good at it they could go wicked fast. Even faster than continental style {take that Zimmerman}.

To be even more silly tandem knitters could knit with even larger needles. We had a juggling team that could knit with six foot needles using three people. Two would hold one of each of the needles and the third would guide the yarn. It was a sight to behold and required team work. Multi person knitting was not as efficient as a knitting machines that we also used. Still, performing teams could build a sort of uncommon team work that is rarely seen. It would almost be as if they could read each other's minds.

Alot of performing troops would pruchase their props we still made all of ours. Amoung those things were our apparatus bags. These carried our practice equipment, 3 balls, 3 clubs, 3rings, Devils Sticks, decks of card, air pumps, balloons, a few books and what ever knitting project you were on at the moment. Being that I am working outside the Circus I find that I do not always need all of my practice equipment. Hence making the knitting bag. She mentioned that most of the jugglers she knows use duffel bags for their equipment. At the confernces that I go to I have not seen an old fashioned apparatus bag in years. The only ones that I see are by clowns who make their own. They are more comfortable than duffel bags and if you are in a crowd and have to juggle a little or make a balloon animal you can do it with out setting your bag down. They are quite nice. Most jugglers have to set up an area where they will perform and there is a fixed place where that audiance is. Clowns even when practicing do not always have that option.

I do not have more pictures because I do not have a working digital camera. I'll get one eventually and post some pictures. And as for my accent I am from Pittsburgh, Pa. I have lived a little of everywhere but I am a run of the mill American.

Well as always I enjoyed answering your questions. Have a good evening, stay safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.

More Magicians

Since I have little to report but another milimeter of growth on the Black bag this is a good opportunity to answer a question about another magician. Namely the Amazing Jonathan. There are a couple of definitions about what make a proffessional magician. One is membership in one of three groups The Magic Castle, Internation Brotherhood of Magicians and Society of American Magicians. His has performed for each of these group and I am almost certain is a member of all of them.

The Second is prestige in the Magic Community. Unlike Mark Wilson, people will probably not be teaching magic classes out of any of the books that he has written. Unless they are talking about blue material. Although his material is more witty than most and does not rely on the F Bomb. A lesson that many people in Show Biz could learn from.

The last standard of a Proffessional magician is the amount of money they have made. And he has made a boat load. Hence he can afford expensive cars and floozies. Although these are proabably simulated floozies in the form of expensive models. And if you can afford to simulate floozies then you know you have really made it.

I have seen him at two magic confferences where he was on the slate with Jeff McBride, Harry Lorayne, Eugene Burger and other past and present greats. By the way for those of you keeping track clowns such as myself rank somewhere bellow your Uncle Sid with the "Got Your Nose Trick". Well Jeff and Harry are two of the best Magic teachers and performers that are out there. Even Harry who does not perform like he once did can kick the daylights out of that goof ball who locked himself in a box recently. At least Houdini stuck the box underwater. Harry to the best of my knowledge never needed Floozies real or simulated. Perhapse that is the difference between a class act and well all the other acts. Still, in this world where a comedy routine and or a magic routine rely heavily on profanity and nudity The Amazing Jonathan is much classier then most of his peers. And like contreversy in most of show bussiness it is a fiction used to hype shows and sell tickets. Except where David Blaine is concerned no one really likes him.


I have also been informed that there is at least one male member of the Punk Rock Knit Girls. Well that is reassuring, perhapse I should give it a shot. I do have lots of blue hair and a couple jars of Manic Panic.

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

Multiple People Blogs

I have always been facinited by the multiple people blogs. I have been reading the Punk rock Girls Knitter blog. It has people from many areas blogging about knitting. I have not found a punk rock knitters blog for boys. I probably could not pass myself as a punk rock girl.

Moving along I am still looking for new neat blogs.

Well I did not have much to to say. I am just not getting to sleep.

Contintue to have a good evening and keep you stick on the ice.

Male Knitter & Clown Stuff & A New Blog

The Wednesday group was nice this week. Much knitting was done and the black bag 2 continues to crawl along at a slow rate. I think I need some enchanted Needles like from Harry Potter.

From those that do not remeber one of my stated goals was to meet some other men that knit. Over the last couple days I have met four. Two attended the Hive Knitting Group a third claimed her could but forgot his knitting so I did not count him. I met an older gentalman on the bus who also claimed he could knit. As we were going through Arlington Heights {which is not that dangerous since they knocked it down} he refused to knit. He did not want to be outed in a dangerous neighborhood and could not beleive I knit on the bus.

When we were out of the dangerous neighborhood he showed me a lace top that he was making for his wife. Well Bob your secret is safe with me I will not tell anyone that you knit or that you are making a surpsie gift for your wife. He told me that she did not understand his knitting. He said that he was forced to hide his yarn from his inlaws and he had hidden his secret obsession all these years since he learned to knit in the Navy.

My wife locks me in the basement when company comes over so do not fell bad, Bob. Still, the basement is well ventalated and I get Grilled Cheese sandwiches when I am locked down there. I do like grilled cheese sandwishes. Velvetta should be one of the food groups if we still had food groups. That is if Velvetta was a really a food.

The fourth knitter is one of the Clowns that I am training. He is knitting and purling and I could not be more proud. It has been four years since I have done honest to goodness Master Clown work. I am thankful for the opportunity.

In semi related news the Clown Brigaide has been asked to perform it their first show. I did not think we would be ready for any sort of show our first year. I am proud that we will be able to perform after only four months of practice.

A very nice lady named Stephieface has been visiting my blog and her blog has a cheeky monkey featured today. He reminds me of myself at that age. I would have put a picture of the monkey on my blog but I do not know if that is allowable according to the blogging rule book.

well have a good evening everyone and keep you stick on the ice.

Sorry Mrs. Howe & The Incredible Nani Darnell

I think I tried to post the same thing about thirty times. I thought that I was not entering the little coded thing right and apparently she has to screen her comments. I am told that is what happens at the more popular blogs. Since I only have two readers I do not have to worry about strange people putting things on my blog. Although now that I think about it I am probably one of the stange people posting things on blogs.

Someone sent me an email ask Nani Darnell. Nani is married to one of the corner stone of 20th century Magic Mark Wilson. If she were starting here career now she proabbaly would have been on her own. magic if the last corner of the world that feminism has not conquered or even made a dent in. Besides being a talent magician in her own right { and better looking in tight then Mark, her husband} I am told she was the bussiness sence behind their act. If you go to the website , www.markwilsonmagic.com, you will see that he always reffers to "their act" and "us" as the performers.


Bellow are some publicity show from their T.V. show on CBS. They also worked with a clown name Rebo who I think was a Master Clown from Cole Brothers. Don't quote me on that it as been along time since I read about them. The rabbit was named Basil and also got top billing.

Well be safe out there and keep you stick on the ice.

Hive Knitting

We had eleven people at the group tonight. We had several members of the knitting group from Garfeild attend as a feild trip. It was nice to have the visitors and I hope they come back someday.

Using a gizmo { the Clover Wonder Knitter} and some stuffing I think I should be able to actually knit a Bee Hive. I think it would be nice to knit a hive for Hive Knitting. Well I will let you know how that goes if I do it.

It is late I just wanted to let both of my readers know Hive Knitting went well this evening.

Have a good evening and be safe out there.

Blogs I Read & Charity Knitting

Some one asked me what blogs I read. I am not sure if they were seriously looking for an answer still here it is. As far as most of the knitting blogs go I have listed them with links on the side bar. If anyone has a blog they think I should be reading please let me know. I do have a couple more to add but I am dispatching for the power outage in Duquesne. If someone is reading this blog then they are into some pretty obscure stuff. And I imagine they have been to some odd blogs.

Charity Knitting was nice today. I had not been able to get there because of church meetings and the like. I am told Stacy took a box of items down to our shelter. I am sure they went over well and I thank everyone who knitted and continues to knit for our Shelter.

Well have a good evening and keep your stick on the ice

Slow & Steady Progress

The Black Bag continues to make slow and almost painful progress. I have gone back to the old stand by strait knitting needles. It may be odd but I find them comforting. Well what can you do?

I am also working on putting my yarn stash into some semblance of order. In my Basement I have milk crates laid on their side to make up book shelves. I have putting netting across the bottom two third of the opening in them to hold the yarn. Fortunately my basement is dry even though it is not really finished. Still, the yarn is fighting for space with toys, books clown equipment and tons of other stuff.

I have also just purchased a fish for my other office at work. I let the church kids name him and they called him Sinister. Zoltan does not get play with Sinister because he like him a little too much. He does look a bit lonely to me and I will probably get him friend when I am near a pet store again. He is what they call a Lion head Gold Fish. He does not have a dorsal fin and had a calico color scheme. Actually he is not really that gold. I am told the designation Gold Fish refers to his breed not his color. Sinister had a four gallon fish bowl with little plastic plants in it. He appears to be very happy. On the Up side it probably does my office some good to have a living thing in it. Feng Shu or karma must be helped by him.

I am also going to starting Tai Chi at the Dojo of one of the soldier at my Corps. I get spiffy pajamas and slippers. They assure me the pajamas are not the reason that most people take Tai Chi. Still, I look at it is a nice benefit.

Well you all have a good evening and be safe out there. And no high sticking.

New Format

I am working on a new format for the blog. I am not thrilled with it yet. Perhapse some color changes. As always any suggestions are welcome. I was not thrilled with the rounders template. I still need to play with the spacing and layout especially on the sidebar.

I am very pleased with the new internet service. It is more reliable and I have more time to putter around with this thing.

Well I don't have much to say just making note of the changes. Stay safe out there everyone.

Following Natasha's Orders

Reading through the blogs today I stopped by Natasha's blog and there was this set of instructions. Well I pasted it here and filled in my answers. Please keep in mind that I am in a basement office surrounded by yarn toys and radio dispatcher equipment.

1. Grab the nearest book. Open the book to page 123. Find the fifth sentence.Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions."
The book closest to me is the Rand Mcnally St. Guide for Allegheny County. Actually I have most of Western Pa. and Ohio in map books. I picked Allegheny. On that page is the grid that includes Jackson and Forward Townships along with the northern part of Evans City

2.stretch your left arm out as far as you can...what do you touch first?
All the way to my left is a Canamex communication Quicktel paging System and a Bearcat 60 channel fire and police scanner

3. what was the last thing you watched on tv?
Law and Order Rerun

4. without looking, what time is it?
9:00 PM.

5.what is the actual time?
18:57 Ops Military time still I was close. The law and order rerun was ending

6. with the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Another law and order rerun. The scanner Alarm activation in Witaker, Refrigerator, dog , cat playing

7. when did you last step outside?
8:30 to let the dog in.

8. what are you wearing?
Khakis

9. when did you last laugh?
ten minutes ago when the cat slapped the sleeping dog

10. seen something weird lately?
the cat nursing on the dog.

11. what did you dream last night?
I drempt I was the skipper on a Ship of the Line fighting the Spanish and French squadrons North west of Gibraltar. I took out a two French frigates with a classic capping the t maneuver in only five broad sides.

12. what's on the walls of the room you're in?
I have a royal standard of Scotland, picture of John Demchak, a rack for holding yarn balls while knitting, clown shoes, ice skates tools, hats, compass, whistle

13. what do you think of this survey?
It is odd but it is like the last time I went to a shrink

14. what was the last film you saw?
Swashbuckler - a pirate flick with Robert Shaw and James Earl Jones

15. if you became a multi-millionaire overnight what would you buy first?
a new scanner a new church

16.tell me something about you that I don't know.
having never met Natasha well I like Jelly Beans.

17. what would you change about the world?
I would have no more pants for men, all men in kilts. And baseball teams would have Tartans. And Ghana would have won the world cup. And world peace.

18.Do you like to dance?
Yes I took tap and ballet

19. imagine your first child is a girl, what do you name her?
Lydia or Natasha Two Clowns I know.

20.boy?
Andrew or Zoltan I probably can't use Zoltan because of my cat Zoltan. It would probably give the boy a complex

21. would you ever consider living abroad?
I have live abroad I liked both Canada and Mexico.

consider yourself tagged if you want to be!

well that was fun. I anyone else wants to do it give it a shot.

New Blogs

I am impressed with new blogs on Pittsburgh Knitting. Just Be, Steel City Knitter, Mrs Bear and Knitsburgh are all very impressive. they each have a good layouts and lots of pictures.

It has continced me that my blog is the 3 am infomercial of the knitting blogging world. I will proabbaly have to get a camera and start sprucing up my blog. I am open to suggestions. So far folks have emailed me that my color scheme is ugly. I will proabably stick with the color scheme.
I suppose the header needs worked on. I do have a nice pciture of my cat playing with yarn that might make a good backround. I think I will use the picture of Russel Crowe knitting instead of me. I am told he is good looking.

On other fronts the knitting for our shelter is going well. A box of completed items have been taken to our shelter already. Any one wishing to join the group should go to Knit 1 on sunday afternoon from Noon to 4. I will be the one in the blue uniform with the bread. There is also Hive Knitting on the South Sides Monday at 7:00 PM the knitting group in Homstead in the Barnes and Nobles in the Water Front.

Have a good day keep you stick on the ice.

It has been a while. And really Big Needles.

My internet has been on the frits for several weeks. I am switching companies on monday. Since I started this blog I have had a several problems with my internet. Still, switching to another DSL company should allow me to add to the blog when I am awake at 4:00 on the morning.

Firstly I wold like to think Lynn for the gizmo. I have already been experimenting it. In recently months I have been experimenting with felting. Even thought this means that I must use a natural wool it is a very good process for making bags. Using the machine I have made a couple test swatches that could help me deign a felted apparatus bag. For those of you that know me that is the bag I carry my juggling equipment in.

I am currently putting together another a clown troop. I am going to have to make several new bags. Looking into the price of canvas if it takes less than 20 skeins it might be cheaper to make it out of wool. the only problem with this is the fact that it would take many weeks to make a bog and I will probably need to make 6 of them. Even as complicated as the bag is with it's expernal pockets there are only six angles on the bag and no button holes. I think I could make an entire bag in a couple days once I master the gizmo.

I may be heresy amoung some knitting circles but in the Circus circles it is what ever it takes to get the job done.

My wife is doing well and will be going back to school in a week. Sally and Zoltan are also doing well.

The new black bag is coming along slowly. I have decided to make it a little bigger. And since it will be felted it is going to be enourmous until it is felted. I have made one of the removable pockets and felted it. I am very pleased with the result. This first test pocket is one of the thing that makes me think it might be able to an Apparatus Bag from felted wool.

It is odd how some thing come full circle. I am told that this first bag that were used by my old circus just before the civil were felted wool much like Army Uniforms of the time were made from.

The only problem with the felted black bag is that I am forced to use a circular needle. I am apparenly the only person in the world that does not like them. And they do not like me. I just broke the one I am using today and I don't have another number 6 in the size I need. I will have to pick one up tommarrow. this further intensifies my desire to have a set of three and a half foot needles made. It may be considering the most insain madeness by most knitters, still, it is how I was taught. And a good set of steel needles never breaks.

I have found a welding company that is willing to take a crack at making these supersized needs. the old ones I used to have were just bare metal. Perhapse Rustolium would be strong enough to finish the needles. I do like the slightly tapered points on the Bryspuns that I have bee using. It should not be hard to replicate that with a grinder.

I have looked high and low an it looks as if no one makes such a needle anymore. maybe I am stuck in a bygone age. Still, they are easier.