May Charms: Complete!

For Charms, we needed to craft something that was related to (or inspired by) dragons, birds, or rabbits. And now, onto the story!

I was out on vacation with my family a few years ago in Colorado. While there we decided to do some climbing on Crystal Peak. The first day we climbed there was nothing unusual. On the second day, I decided to go back because I really liked it. To my surprise there was a dragon flying around out in the sun. It was a gray dragon, or so I thought.


I'm not sure if it was because I hadn't moved while I watched the dragon fly around but eventually it came and landed in the shade. Not next to me but close enough where I could still make it out. In the shade the dragon didn't look gray but green! The only thing I could think of was that the scales appeared different colors depending on the background.

I have never forgotten the dragon and decided to use it as inspiration for this assignment.

PS: The discloth is only one - the pictures were taken on different backgrounds so that it would appear gray or green.

May Potions: Complete!

I have another improvised pattern! Yay! It also marks a fourth class - Potions - done for May.


The Weasley twins enlisted my help in creating a potion that would mimic the Sorting Hat. When you dip the article of clothing into the potion, it is supposed to reveal the house colors of the wearer. After finishing the potion, I took a black choker and placed it in the potion. When I removed it, I found that some of the original black had remained and along with some blue, there was now a patch of green. It took a moment before I realized that I am such a Slytherclaw that the colors for both houses showed on my necklace.

May Herbology: Complete

Herbology this month was really easy - we only had to turn in something that was related in someway to a flower. Or embellished with one. I was going to crochet a red purse and attach my black rose to it but when the purse was finished, it was off enough that I'd have to start all over... Instead of doing that I decided to finish my Apparition Bag that I started in April - do you remember it? It really didn't take much time to finish it and then I simply added my black rose to the top of it.

There isn't a story needed for the bag - just the rose. I don't have to come up with a story for every assignment and I'm having a hard time thinking of a creative one for the rose. So I think herbology will be the only one that doesn't get a story this month.

May HoM: Complete

I told myself that I wouldn't focus so much on the classes this term so that I would finally be able to finish my OWL. So far it's.. sort of worked. The other thing I told myself is that I would create stories to go along with each of my class submissions. I'm a writer! I should be able to create the stories easily! (And yet, its been hard to come up with something the last two terms..) Anyway, here's the story and the accompanying fingerless mitts that will later be turned into gloves. Yes, with actual fingers.

During my trip down into the chamber, I came across a piece of thread. I was intrigued by it and decided to see how much of it there was. By the time I was about to gather all of it that I could find, there looked to be enough for a pair of gloves. The purple color of the thread seems to come from Lockhart’s cape. It must have gotten stuck on something when he was leaving the chamber.

It turns out that there wasn’t enough for a pair of gloves so I decided to make them fingerless instead. I was glad to have them because the chamber was colder than I thought it would be. These provided me a way to keep my hands warm but still be able to take notes on what the chamber was like.

Quidditch Challenge

Saturday I had a hat challenge for Quidditch. The challenge was to knit as many hats as possible in a day. Having never finished a hat in one day before, I say I did pretty good. My hands are still a bit sore from all the knitting I did. I was also able to do some stashbusting - used up two partial skeins. I started another hat and might even finish off the skein when I get around to finishing it.



The second hat is identical to the ones I made for myself and my brothers in February. Because it is my own pattern, I needed to test knit it before I put the pattern up anywhere.

Nyaaahh...

I had a pattern for a crocheted purse all picked out and after spending all evening last night working on it, I figured out that it won't work. It's really frustrating because I then had to separate the two skeins I'd been using together. I looked around on Rav and found another one I thought would work but I didn't even get through the first round. It just feels too flimsy to work as a bag, even if I am going to line it. I don't know what to do. I need something to work for Herbology.

I don't have to make something new, I just don't really have anything that I want to add a flower to. If I can find a purse that'll work easily enough and isn't too small for the rose I've already made I'll be happy. I even have a story picked out for when I turn it in already.

ETA: Hmm. I could possibly do the CAL I attempted in April but smaller. All I would want it for would be the useage I get out of my smallish purse I use now but slightly bigger. Hmm. This could work. (If anyone actually reads this, let me know what you think)

Dishcloths!

This year I decided to knit four dishcloths, two each for Mom and my step-mom Susan. Susan and I don't really get along very well so these are kind of my gift to say "I'm sorry and I forgive you." Plus she and Dad are moving into a new house this summer so I though they'd both enjoy some new dishcloths. I'll give them to Dad when he comes to see me before going back down to Florida.


I haven't finished the two for Mom yet but I already gave her the one I made for her. She'll get the other one when I get around to it. And I'll take a picture of the two of them when I do get the last one made. And now I can go back to my knitting for HPKCHC!

New Plan for May!

May 10 - 14: Work on Herbology purse. If finished before the 15th, begin knitting Monkey Socks.

*May 15: Knit as many hats as possible for the Quidditch Challenge Hats Off! Probably spend the day watching DVDs while knitting.

May 16 - 22: Continue (or start) knitting Monkey socks. Knit them 2 at a time so possibly finish them this week. If they get finished before the end of the week, work on HoM fingerless mitts.

May 23 - 29: Finish up any incomplete classes. Knit first item for regular Quidditch. Work on the OWL.

May 30 - 31: Knit like crazy on the OWL! If there's time, knit the last dishcloth for Mom.

I think this'll work for a finalized monthly plan. I feel like I've left enough time for everything. (The mitts might not get finished but that'll be okay.)

May Monthly Plan

Here is my monthly plan for May. I used to do these on my own but lately I've been writing them up for the Tower so I figured I'd start posting them here too.

May 1 - 8: Finish swatch and post OWL proposal. (done!) Knit four dishcloths for Mom and Susan by the end of the week. (half done.) Knit and felt three mice for Selena. Begin working on herbology purse. Begin knitting OWL once approved.

May 9 - 15: Finish herbology purse and add a rose to it. Submit to Ravenclaw Tower's May Flowers contest. Begin and possibly finish Monkey socks for Ravenclaw Monkey KAL. May 15th - knit test beanie pattern for Quidditch challenge. Continue working on OWL.

May 16 - 22: If socks aren't finished, finish them. Start a Jayne hat for Potions. Begin working on the first of three regular Quidditch items. Continue working on OWL.

May 23 - 31: If any classes aren't completed, finish them. Finish Quidditch item 1. Get OWL to 33%.

This is as much as a monthly plan as I can have. It's always subject to change, depending on how much knitting I get done in a week. The OWL (aka, my sweater) must be at 33% by the end of the month so that I can get to 50% by the end of June.

OWL Proposal: Aquitaine Pullover

Therealkarity from Ravenclaw submitting her proposal for a Muggle Studies OWL, Option 1: Knit or crochet an adult sweater. I will be making Aquitaine Pullover using Malabarigo Worsted in Tuareg. The pattern calls for US 10s which I will be using.
and my swatch up close:
I will be knitting the body first followed by the sleeves two at a time. This will be my first attempt at a sweater. The challenge of the complex construction of this garment is sure to keep my interest. Knit as one piece, my skills will be tested I will prevail!

You can see the official proposal on the HPKCHC forum here.

Apparition Socks: finished!

Look! They're finished! I absolutely love them.


The wonderful thing about how small my feet are is that I still have enough left over from this skein to make another pair of socks. I haven't decided on what color I'm going to make my next pair but I do need to ball the yarn. I really do hope I get a ball winder and swift for my birthday next month. It would make winding yarn MUCH easier..