Life Goes On

Well it took me almost 20 extra days but I finally finished the sun hat and boy I am disappointed in how it turned out. Because of some mistakes on the cast off my tube didn't turn out proper all the way around and thus has incredible trouble getting the cord threaded through. The hat looks really cute when it's in blocking position, sitting on a flat spot with the brim spread nicely....

But because I had to pull the cord out of the tube and then decided to wrap yarn around the cord instead, the cord wasn't pulled taught and the whole edged became heavy and VERY rippled. Even with a lot of starch and some ironing, the hat looks more like a bonnet then a sunhat.

I make a second attempt at the hat after Christmas and this time REALLY concentrate on the bind off, not try to do most of it while keeping watch over a franchisee removal.

But yes, life goes on...

I am working on a plan for a messenger type bag. It will be a combo of so far three patterns.

I have also finally found the yarn for my mom's shawl!! It was very exciting! I just have to plan the stripe pattern or get another colour so I can follow the pattern better.

Not bad for a day of travelling!

July Assignments

My own record of finished assignments for my July HPKCHC classes...

Astronomy: Handed in!

Herbology Complete as well! Well actually it is counted as started only. I need to spin more and if I feel up to it I'll knit something for it as well.

Potions: My tiny little good luck charm bag is done and handed in now too!

Charms: Duplicate bookmarks handed in!

First Spin

My hands, arms and thighs are still sore and I'm exhausted. I need to practice more!

But all in all I'm rather pleased with my progress at spinning for the first time. I'd have been better off just working with the roving that came with my spindle and learn to spin kit but I wanted to try for a colour mix so I ended up with two different textures of roving and trying to learn to blend and such on my first attempt was a mistake. But I am hopeful it will get me full marks in my Herbology assignment.

Hard work though. I'm not totally disheartened and will try again. I think it's good I didn't try dyeing too LOL I'd probably have shot myself by now!

I suppose I'm not helped along by my need to be perfect and seeing that my yarn looks too tight in some places, way too loose in others and goes from near thread weight to super bulky has me a bit twitchy but I'm being good and not giving up or unraveling it and/or pitching it out. It's like therapy!

HPKCHC July Classes

Not a good sign that I still have 7 of the 10 socks to knit for my OWL project due the end of this month but I did finally get my Quidditch Wristies done!

I also frogged the 1/3 of a panel for my bag because i decided I want to to that trick of slipping the first stitch of each row to make a nice edge to be able to sew up the seam easier, perhaps with a fancy edge in a contrasting colour.

I need to stick to smaller projects this month, I think. Steph gave me a WICKED idea for Muggle Studies!

So here goes the planning!

Muggle Studies: A neck tie and collar for Buddy and his daddy to wear on their Muggle outings

Charms: A pair of identical bookmarks

DADA: WOW a Brain wave just as I was typing this (oddly a deja vu too) a sun hat in Lavender and Brown stripes!

Potions: I plan to make a small drawstring bag of sorts with a sparkly yarn

Astronomy: Will will be making a hair-band either another sparkly yarn or perhaps a beaded or sparkly boucle yarn

Herbology: I'm not sure what to do for this. My wand is solid bloodwood with an essence of Phoenix ash. I do have that roving that is brownish grey with a hint of blue that I could add some colour too. Some maroon and some orange then spin it!

OK So That is pretty good planning there! Now to get going! It is going to be a busy month!

Simple Soap Sock

While working on something for my mom I inadvertently created something quick and easy and fairly pretty, if I may say so myself.

I haven't found one on Ravelry to match persay so maybe I can have my first pattern available on their!

Here's the fab creation, and it only took me about 2 hours with various phone calls and work emails mixed in...


Simple Soap Sack

I used an Ivory Beauty bar as the soap but any bar of soap you prefer.
US #7 DPN
Mission Falls 1824 Cotton in Maize with a hint of Lichen for the cords
Tapestry Needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations"
yo - Yarn Over to increase
k2tog - Knit 2 stitches together to decrease

CO 30 and join in the round
Knit even for 5 rounds
Rnd 6: *yo, k2tog* repeat between * to end (drawstring row)
Knit even for 7 rounds
Rnd 14: *yo, k2tog* repeat between * to end
Rnd 15: knit even
Rnd 16: *k2tog, yo* repeat between * to end
Rnd 17: knit even
Rnd 18: *yo, k2tog* repeat between * to end
Knit even for 5 rounds
Rnd 24: *yo, k2tog* repeat between * to end
Rnd 25: knit even
Rnd 26: *k2tog, yo* repeat between * to end
Rnd 27: knit even
Rnd 28: *yo, k2tog* repeat between * to end
Knit even for 7
Rnd 35: *yo, k2tog* repeat between * to end (drawstring row)
Knit even for 5 rounds
Bind off all stitches

Make 3 cords 12" long. I chose to braid contrasting coloured yarn.

Weave one cord at either end of sock with soap bar inside and use the third cord to make a loop for hanging sock and soap to dry after use.

I think it goes really well with the Flower Power Wash Cloth I whipped up the other night.
































This is my first improvised pattern so please be kind if you find faults in it. That said, I'm open to constructive criticism ;-)

HP Collection: Soar Ravenclaw!

I don't really have Ravenclaw specific stuff beyond some of my knitting projects for the house cup (pictured above). Plus I'm a huge House Unity supporter but I have long since been sorted into Ravenclaw on any quiz I've found and have always felt a special kinship so I do cheer loudly for the Claws at all Quidditch matches!


Soar Ravenclaw!!


My Harry Potter collection is spread throughout the house some on display, some used everyday and all of it loved. I do hope this entire post can be used as my Ravenclaw Quidditch cheer for this week. I just didn't feel right posting this many pictures to the group... My Weasley girls are tied for first with my wand as the most important part of my collection. Top is Ginny, the Calico is Mrs Weasley and the long hair is Hermione. As another point of fact, Mrs Weasley is actually Ginny and Hemrione's biological mother. :-D

Then there is Tonks (A close second were i to really rank it all), my car with a personalized plate to boot! She truly is magical too (and PURPLE!!). She runs my wipers when it rains, almost ALWAYS gets me the best parking spot (trust me this has been witnessed by MANY people) and keeps my music at a good volume depending on what speed I'm going.














My Laptop is actually named Lily (My wireless network is Diagon Alley) then my desktop wallpaper .... ;-) I also have the latest screen saver from the official website running now.



I did just finished reading the series again...











The three little boxes behind my wand are little kits from Chapters. The small leather bound book is the Gringotts coin collect and yes that is a time turner in the back corner on the other side of Beedle.







Cammy (who, had she been a new addition like my Weasley girls would probably be called Minerva, it would suit her) is lying on her favourite blanket (Harry from Goblet) and is surrounded by the HP throw cushions.












I have yet to find a good place for my newest aquisition, a beautifully mounted Philosphers Stone
poster.

I have all of the movies and I also have the UK version of OOTP because it was released earlier than it was here. Somewhere I also have a PC version of the OOTP game but I can not find it!

I also have a Dark Mark Messenger bag, sorry for the quality...


I picked up the Scene-it HP Version the day it came out! That must seem shocking LOL


A couple of years ago a friend who knew of my love of all things HP brought me this framed Movie Cell from Goblet of Fire. Not my favourite of the movies by a long shot but still a worthy collector's item! The scene in the cell is in the Great Hall at a meal time with Harry and Ron.

Knitting Away

I can't believe how fast I was able to knit up the tea cozy! It is so pretty, it fits so well! I love it! I may start drinking more tea again. I just had to post a pic here because I just love it so much!

On other topics... sort of... I'm not allergic to wool! Very thrilling! I have taken out my Florida Handspun ball and poked through the formerly sealed bag of wool and other yarns that touched the wool. Now I just need the marks from my allergy test to fade finally. It was last thursday after all and I still have purplish marks.

But Yeah, I'm not allergic to ANYTHING! I guess the stuffy nose and such really is just sinus problems. Whatever...

I need to get the cotton hanks balled up so I can do the bobble hat. It should be fast or maybe even faster than the cozy! I want to get that pretty pink ribbon hat done for Jane too. It has a bit of a rim so it might be shadier for the Summer sun.

Depending on how quickly I get the rest of my HP Class projects done will determine if I will try the Transfiguration class and strip an old t-shirt down to make a wash cloth. It looks shockingly easier than I'd have thought. Not really surprising as most things I've attempted in the knitting world have been easier than I would have ever thought.