The Black Bag Nears Completion

I have begun peicing the bag together. All that is to be done is the linning and duplicate stitching. There is little time and i am very busy. the lawn is doing nicely for a change. there are a couple patches of grass so at least that is going well.

The critters are also well and having fun. Well i hope to have more time next time.

Have a good day and keep you sitck on the ice.

Black Bag Continues

The Black bag is getting close to being finished. The insainly large piece of material that makes up the bulk of the bag is almost done. A little duplicate stitching and she will be done. It is Monday and Hive Knitting will be meeting this evening. Most of the group went to the Knitting in Public event on Saturday at Point State Park. Pictures were taken and will be put up when I have them.

My wife make a white baby hat that will be added to the growing collection of things hidden in plain sight at the Bee Hive. So if you drop by the Hive make sure you try and find the hidden knitted items. This will be the fourth to be hidden.

As always we are meeting down there at 7:00 Pm this evening. I will be there an hour or so early if anyone it truly bored.

Well Keep your stick on the ice and have a good evening.

Grass well some Grass

I looked at my patch of dirt and weeds grudgingly called a lawn. There was some grass this morning, a sight to behold. I almost cried.

Hive Knitting was good this week. We had the usual cast of characters and a good time was had by all. Progress is being made on the Black Knitting Bag. I hope to have the shell done by Thursday and will line it on Friday.

I will be heading off to knitting at the Waterfront this afternoon. I must remember to eat before I go.

The critters are doing well. Sally is taking well to the fact that she now has to go for two walks every day. The cat is jealous. Although I do not think Zoltan would wear a leash.

I am a bit rushed today so I will wish everyone well.

Keep you stick on the ice.

Just a Post and an Appeal to the Dark Arts for my Lawn

Not much to report today. Just wanted to put something up so there was something new to read. The Black Bag is coming along nicely. I may have the knitting done on it by the end of next week. I am still considering if I should send a scarf idea as well. I don't imagine that it would hurt. And it would be nice to do some stitches that I have not for a while.

I have been receiving the notes about the group that has started in Shady Side. I may have to stop out there to see how they are doing. Moral support is one of the most important things when someone is starting a new group. If anyone has been out there post a note and tell me how it has been. I am told it goes back and forth from squirrel Hill.

The critters are doing well in the air conditioning. Both Zoltan and Sally should be happier now that Carol will be home most of the time. There is much to with the Day Care. I have planted grass and done my best to get the yard into a reasonable shape. I would like to invite the Hive Knitting Group for a cook out. The only draw back is that the weeks are still winning out in my other never ending quest to plant grass where none has grown before. If this is the measure of my manhood then I am not doing well. Although the chemical steroid and irradiated material that have been pleased on the so called lawn have begun to make a dent. Perhaps in another couple weeks I can be proud of my progress. At the moment I will console myself with my progress on my knitting projects.

I would like to thank the people who have sent in comment or email. It is nice to have feed back and it replaces that love that I never had as a child {sniff sniff}. In addition I am looking for someone who has a supernatural ability to kill weeds. If anyone is interested let me know. As always you can email me at Yahoo or post something here

Keep you stick on the ice and have a Blessed Day.

Monday Group

Hello Everybody

This Memorial Day we still met at the Bee Hive. Knitting stop for no one. We had a couple guests we have so we still had a large group even though some of us had obligations else where. The Black Bag is coming along well. And we knit a little hat for another Flamingo. This one was near the air condition so he is going to be cold this year.

Sally and Zoltan are having a good time as they lay around in the air conditioning.

On another subject I am looking for long rubber or plastic knitting needles. The old flexible ones like Sears used to make. With disasters a coming I am looking for needles I knit on planes with. I have a few but the one that dies with the most toys wins.

It looks like I will be able to go the Wednesday Wasterfront group this week. I am not sure how much longer I can go with my schedule constantly changing. Well we shall see.

Every one have a great day and keep your stick on the ice.

Hive Knitting a Quest to Take Over the World

This way lies madness - The Flamingo Scarf was brought to us by David Arquette. Well that is what the tag says.







Well maybe not the world but at the very least the Bee Hive. I have some exciting pictures of the first two things that have been knit for in the Hive. We put a scarf on a flamingo and another on a angel. If you stop by the hive try and find them. Even better yet come down to the Bee Hive on Mondays for the group.

The small bit of yarn used for the angel and the balls in the background were given to me by a nice lady from the Water Front Knitting Group. I don't mention her name because I am not sure she would want to be named. Regardless a valuable lesson was given to a new knitter and fun was had by all.

Also as a note I received an email about Debbie Stroller's new book. I am thinking of submitting a clown scarf. I am sure it would be a hoot even though it would proabably not make the book. Still it is a good beginner project and looks like you put and insane amount of effort into it. If anyone would like the details about the message please email me at zeeppo_the_great@yahoo.com and I will forward it to you {the are underscores}.

As a pet update Sally is still nuts and the cat is still our fierce protector. It I ever get a working digital camera I will take pictures of them.

Away for a While & Pittsburgh Knitting Update

I have been out at my church camp for a while and have not had the opportunity to post. As an up date I finished the blue baby blanket and are well underway on the Black Knitting Bag. At the last Hive Knitting group we decided that on of the flamingo looked cold. So I knit him a scarf. Because it was an ugly scarf I did not want to take credit for it. So we left a note saying the David Arquette knit it. And man that would publish a book wearing a pink scarf would not mind knitting one for a flamingo.

Almost the best news of all happened last week. After four years of marriage my wife has crocheted something. It is not knitting but it is a step. I am not sure how I feel about my wife being a Hooker as Debbie Stroller would put it. Still, it is a step.

I am worried that she will now think she can have at my yarn stash. I know they said until death do we part. Still, they said nothing about sharing the yarn. I supposed I will have to at some point, but, I will not do it willingly.

Well have fun everyone. I am looking for a part time job and it would be nice to find something in the knitting field. If anyone has some ideas let me know.

And for joy for joy I am told my blog is on Pittsburgh Knitting. It warms my heart and is one of the greatest acomplishments of my short life thus far. I would like to thank the Acadamy and and I glad to know they love me they really do.

Have a good week everyone and keep your stick on the ice.

Monday Group

We had a very good group on Monday. I have given up on the cables for the flap on the black bag. My yarn is too thick and I do not want to go with multiple yarn sizes. I will probably use a sport weight yard on the side to put cables in there. The new black bag pattern will leave more room for the tree I wanted to pu on the front. It should be nicer when it is done.

Just for fun we knit a scarf for the flamingo near the disco ball in the Bee Hive. If anyone is there take a look. It is a brick red scarf just for the fun of it. We should probably knit tea cozies for all of the tea pot just for fun.

My wife Carol joined us for the group and even crotched. It was an impressive feat since she had not done it for several decades. She is out now buying yarn and has probably stolen several balls from my stash. I will have to lock up my office in the basement.

Have a good week and drop by the Bee Hive on Mondays if you are near by.

The Evil Black Bag

I continue to have mixed feeling about what the bag should look like. I would prefer a good cable that fits nicely into ten stitches. Maybe I should be doing something lighter with it than a 6x6 cable. I would like it to be more elongated but have not quite found it yet. I am open to any suggestions.

That is my quandary for the day. Carol would like to have a female cat. I like cats but Zoltan and Sally have an odd relationship and think I third may throw it off balance. We will see. And we will probably not get another cat till after the day care is fully open. Time will tell. Perhaps we will get a little Evangeline.

I am heading off to a Fire Association this evening and will probably not get much done. Still, as always it will be interesting.

Have a good evening and watch out for nature.

Accomplishing A lot of Not Much

I am very disappointed with the cable patterns that I have for the edge on the Knitting Bag. I have tried and frogged three patterns. One I thought would be nice for a scarf. So I now have a foot on a green cabled scarf that will probably go to some shelter somewhere.

I also want to make a vest out of this denim stuff that is made by Rowan. It is fairly expensive and more then I usually spend on myself. Still it will be nice to fool around with it since I have never used this type of yarn. They say that it will wear like a denim shirt.

If it turns out nice perhaps I will have found something that my wife would like. It has also been along time since I have made a piece of clothing for an adult. So it will be nice to make something for someone that is more than two feet tall.

The Blue blanket is finished. I have duplicate stitched the child's name and will be giving it to him in church on Sunday. It will be cuddle and fun I hope.

Have a good day and keep you stick on the ice.

Black Knitting Bag and Other Stuff

I have been working on the bag for a couple days and it has taken me a couple trys to get the cabling pattern I like. I will post a picture when I have enough of it done to show. The flap will have a set of cables running up either side and a tree knit into the center.

For those that are interested both Zoltan and Sally are doing well. They have both discovered the joy of Acrylic Floor Paint this week. Neither was injured even though Carol and I were willing to injure them.

The folks at the Water Front were making skeins of yarn for dyeing and fun was had by all. I considering visiting a few of the other local group around here. I have been to the one in Garfield at the Quiet Storm. Perhaps I will try one in the North Hills since I have not been out there.

Thus far my quest to find other male knitters who are willing to knit in public has yeilded no finds. I am told there are a couple out there but I have not made contact yet. Perhaps they are hiding out McKnight Rd.

On other front I have been accepted into the Yinz Knit group on Yahoo and am still sad that I am not on the Pittsburgh knitting site. Hope springs eternal.

Email me if there is anything interesting out there

Random Thoughts

I believe I have figured out my picture posting problems. The picture bellow is the black knitting bag that I am making. I decided the flap will have a tree knit in the center and a set of cables going up with side. There will be room in the bag for my set of metal 14 inch needles and a large project and a couple pounds of yarn.

We had another good group on Monday at the Bee Hive. I don't have a working digital camera so I am going to pester the members that do to send pictures for the Blog. There are doing construction in my Computer Lab so I get some time off. I hope to make some real progress on the bag during this time. Everyone keeps having baby and a never seem to get this bag started.

The Blue blanket is finished except for the Child's name. I will be duplicate stitching that in a place I have left for it. I will take a few picture of it and post them when I have a free moment. I will try and stop by the group at the WaterFront to show them since they were interested.

Men need to knit in Public...............
I do not understand why I have gone nearly a year with out seeing a male knitting. Gents there is nothing to be scared of. Besides being a constructive thing to do it is a good way to meet women. My wife hit on me when she first saw me because I was knitting. If you do not know how stop by our Monday group at the Bee Hive on the South Side at 7:00 PM.

Have a good day everyone. And remember artificial fibers are your friend. Stop the needless suffering of Sheep. Kill plants.....

Yarn for Knitting Bag

This is the Yarn and Needles for my Knitting Bag.

More Rings

congratulations to me.

I have been accepted into most of the knitting rings that I have listed on my Side Bar. If any one has a ring that you think I should join please let me know. I went to the Thursday monthly group at Panera on Blvd. of the Allies in Oakland. There were four folks there and fun was had by all.

I have decided to spend my time working on my knitting bag. It is going to be so manly that Rosie Grier would be proud. The black is a Red Heart Acrylic, the green is a Moria 65% Nylon, 20% Acrylic and 12% Mohair. I will add a picture of the yarn and the needles when I can upload. The bag is going to be black designed somewhat like a bicycle messenger's bag. There will be cables on the sides of the flap.I will knit a tree trunk and branches in the the center and I will duplicate stitch the leaves in with the green.

I am not using a pattern. If anyone is truly interested I will write one after I have knit the bag.

As always have a blessed day.

First Ring

I know it is not that exciting but my blog has been accepted by Men Who Knit. It is the first Ring that I have been accepted to. For joy for joy.

Also the Knitting group on the South Side is doing well. Over the week end most of us took a field trip to the. We had much fun and there. Perhaps we will take a trip to a petrochemical factory where we can see some acrylic yarn being made.

Hive Knitting May 1

Our knitting group on the South Side of Pittsburgh has been going for a couple months now. We have a good group of regulars and have begun attracting people from else where. Any one with some free time should stop by.

I am most of the way through the blue baby blanket and have finished the pink one. When I am able to post some pictures I will. Perhaps I will even put up some of those progress graphics I see on other knitting pages. For those keeping track the blue one it is made of a cotton acrylic blend.

The Underground Struggle Against Nature

For far too long we have been the subjects of a tyrannically master namely natural wool yarn and it henchman hand washing. Nature in general is a bad thing. Beside the rashes illness and killer animals that roam the country side at wil,l it's products are hard to deal with.

The chemical companies of America have done a fine job making things out of oil. Not only are they easier to wash they come in a wide array of colors not found in nature. I ask you how can you embarrass nieces and nephews if you cannot make hats in neon lime green? Soft Earth tones are Unamerican. It is our duty as Americans to be loud and subject the world to our every whim. Because we are right and everyone else on the planet is wrong. And you simply cannot knit this in Earth Tones.

Remember Acrylic is your Friend

Z

PS Blogger is not letting me put up pictures. I will add a cute picture of my cat when I can. And by the way Zoltan , my cat, has swore off natural things and exclusively eats Velveta to undermine the Nature Conspiracy.

I have been looking over the knitting Blogs and decided to start one of my own. It looks as if there are two things that you need for a knitting blog. The first is pictures of projects in various stages of done and pictures of a cute pet.

I am working on two baby blankets, some socks, and a knitting bag. The pink baby blanket is for the maintance guy at work, Ray, or well his grand daughter. The blue one is for my ministers the Captains Banks, well for their child. The socks and knitting bag are for me. I will put in some pictures when I get them.

About a month ago I started a knitting group on the South Side of Pittsburgh at the Bee Hive. It starts at 7:00 PM every Monday if you are interested in attending. We have a had a steady group of four or five people. Everyone is very friendly and they are willing to share their knowledge. I do not have their permission write about them so I will respect their privacy unless they say I can violate it.

When blogger lets me put up pictures I have a nice one of the pink blanket that is now finished. I also have a cat and dog that are handsome little animals to fufill the second requirement of a knitting blog. If any clowns from the R.C.C. read this it is me and you know where to email me.

This blog will be a weekly thing and I hope it will be witty and entertaining. Thank you for reading my ramble.

Steven