August STUFFF - Part 2

And the second half of my STUFFF accomplishments. Blogger wouldn't let me upload all of the images into the same one so I split it 3 and 3. :)

When I completed my Porifera socks (better known as Axel Socks), I noticed something. Where the heel joined the leg, it had left small holes, despite me picking up a stitch or two and knitting them together with an already established stitch. This normally gets rid of said holes. So... I took scrap yarn of the same color and closed the holes.

Finish. This is going to be the one tile I get a lot of (I hope!) because of my stack of WIPs. Rachel is going off to London soon and although she herself is a knitter, I know she's been having trouble making a hat that fits her just right. I'd been wanting to do something for her and knew she needed a hat. So, I made her one!

And frog. I'm pretty much done with this tile but I've already acheived two of them. The pile of WIPs into yarn was my first frog tile, the socks into yarn was the second. None of the WIPs (this time) were complete failures. It was mostly I was either waiting to do the project later or the yarn didn't want to be that specific project.

And with all of that work, I am down to 5 WIPs, 3 for me and 2 presents for family. Both of which are already half done. Once all 5 WIPs are completed, I will probably jump into working on presents. I have 6 more before all are done. And next year I'll only make presents at birthday time so it's a little more spread out.

August STUFFF - Part 1

In HPKCHC-land, it is the time of cleaning and WIPs! On every break month, we have an activity that helps everyone get ready for the coming 3 month term. Last time (April) was Wizard's Chess. This time it's Scrabble, also known as STUFFF.

Swatch

Tidy

Update

Fix

Finish

Frog

Today I was awarded my golden tile set, the set of letter tiles awarded to those who have completed all six! This was what I was waiting for before I blogged about it. And now, pictures of what I've completed.

STUFFF also has swatch-along weeks. First was dyeing but I had an epic fail with the yarn so nothing got dyed. The next week, this week, was crochet. I haven't done anything beyond basics in months so I decided that I would do a swatch of fpdc and bpdc on the idea that instead of knitting my niece's presents, I would crochet them.

Tidying. My desk is my work space for everything. Knitting, school, writing... You name it. At first it was covered with yarn and other things. After I found homes for all the yarn there was much more room for when I needed space to do things. Although, when both laptops are open most of my space disappears.

And the drawer. My desk has a drawer that is just right for keeping my needles/hooks and active WIPs. It was piled high, in part because I hadn't put needles away after I'd completed or frogged a project. So it just needed a little bit of tidying.

Lastly, update. I have no pictures for this but I reorganized and cleared out my queue. Now there is less "I will make this someday" patterns queued and more of "I have plans to make this before the end of the year" patterns queued. But I did keep all my video game character KALs or I'd forget what Rachel and I'd planned.

Test Knitting

One of my favorite things to do in the world of knitting is test knit patterns for designers. Sometimes that even means that I get a paid pattern for free. In February, two of my friends came up with patterns that needed to be test knitted. One was a hat like the one Hermione wears in the graveyard scene of Deathly Hallows part 1. The other was a pair of socks.

The socks aren't finished yet. I've only finished the first one tonight. I'm really hoping that now that I've finished one I can speed knit through the other one. That's the way my socks are usually knit - I do the first one and because I want the second one so badly, I speed through it.

Here's the hat I finished a couple weeks ago. As I told the designer, it needs to be a bit longer. I'll probably go back eventually and add some length to the body of the hat.

January Summary

In January, I knit (or crocheted) a total of 7 things. 3 small bags, 3 hats, and a cozy for my PSP. I also started a scarf out of the skein of Chroma I ordered with my last KP order. I knew I wanted to make a scarf out of it so I got a skein of Choma Worsted in Midwinter. The scarf is about half done. It'll get done soon enough so I can block it and wear it.

6 HPKCHC classes:

Choma scarf:

You'll notice the third bag is missing. I need to do 2 things before I post it, take a better picture and mail it out today to the one it goes to.

DS Cozy

In July, I decided to make myself a cozy for my Nintendo DS. I've been meaning to make one for awhile. It gets put into bags whenever I go anywhere that has some travel time and/or I think it will get dark. I can't knit in the dark. Now I have a way of keeping my DS protected so it doesn't get anymore scratches and such.



It also was the first time I did a button flap, button hole, and sewed on a button. I have to say, I still dislike weaving in ends the most.

Exploding Snap!

Last HPKCHC break, we had three KALs going on. This time we have Exploding Snap. It is a fun little game to get WIPs finished. For each WIP finished, points are awarded. If a new project is started in August, 1 point is taken away for everyday a new one is started. We all had to sign up and then post the plan of what we want to finish.

Not only am I doing this but also 2 KALs and test knitting a cowl for a friend. I decided to not inclue the cowl on my plan even though it will get finished. If all the points of the plan are achieved, more points are awarded for completion. I can't remember if a prize is given out randomly or not.

My plan is here.

Birthday Presents for Nami

Okay, I can post these now. Nami (or Bubbles as she's also know as) got her package in the mail today. When I made myself a pair of Evangeline back in January, she commented about how she'd love a pair Slytherin colored. I knew then that I'd make her a pair for her birthday. Hers were made wrist length because it was hot and I didn't see the need to make hers as long as mine. I also got tired of them by the time I had a couple cable repeats done. I'd been trying to do them twice without a cable needle but they refused to work. In the end I used the cable needle. I absolutely love the wrist length. If I make myself another pair, they'll be wrist length.



I hadn't planned on making this headband for her until I was thinking about what I wanted to send with the mitts. The pattern was one I was doing for a HPKCHC class to the letter E. The pattern, yarn, or item had to start with E. I had decided I wanted a headband and went with making the Easy Cable Headband. It was something quick and easy so I added it to Nami's package.



5 days left in July and 3 classes to finish. One of which will be another headband, this time for me. August is an break month for classes and yet its looking like it will be busy too. And I still have to figure out what to do for Dad's birthday...

More Quidditch

For the main Quidditch this term, each player was asked to create 3 items that would go to charity. Charity could mean that it went to a friend or someone who needed the item. On the other hand you could indeed, find a charity and craft for them. Now, I'm as much a supporter of charities as the next person but for this I went more personal.

I made two scarves and a pair of booties. The booties are going to a friend who just found out that she's expecting. :D The pattern said they were newborn size but didn't come out so. That's okay - she can use them when the baby gets big enough to fit into them.



The scarves were made for something that one of my aunts wanted to do. She thought it would be fun if I would craft a scarf for every aunt. I ran out of time to do the third so I'll work on that in August or something.

The good news is that now that Quidditch is done, I can get back to working on classes! I only have two left (finished one up this morning) and a week in which to do them. Maybe for the first time, I won't be turning in projects on the last day!

Quidditch and Bookmarks

Is it really already the 20th? I've been so busy crafting this month! Two classes are finished but I can't post pictures of them yet. They were for a friend and I don't want her seeing what she got before they arrive in the mail. I've also been working on bookmarks for the Headmistress' challenge. They had to be postmarked by the end of July and I sent mine out today.



I just finished, an hour ago, an afghan for charity. GazeboGal on Rav's shelter is in desperate need of blankets and such for animals and crates. Being the animal lover I am, I just had to craft one! My first afghan and I did it in two days. Can you say hand cramp?



I should be able to post the classes I've finished soon. In the meantime, I'm working on a cozy for my DS and a hat similar to the one I made at the end of June. This time it's wool and knit on the right size needles.

July Monthly Plan

I have a plan!

Anicent Runes: Easy Cabled Headband
Charms: Van Dyke Socks
Herbology: Evangeline
Potions: Fawkes
DADA: Gemini Kittens

July 1 - 4: Focus on finishing Mom’s shawl. Work on Potions when if I need a project change.
July 5 - 11: Continue working on Potions. It is also a sock KAL with tangledskein.
July 12 - 18: Cast on and finish Herbology. Once finished, cast on Ancient Runes. Both should be done this week.
July 19 - 25: Cast on Charms and DADA. Bookmarks must be done before the end of the week at the latest.
July 26 - 31: Finish up anything that hasn’t been finished by now.

Around the edges of the first half of the month I’m also going to be working on the bookmarks for Onica’s challenge.

June Monthly Plan

June 1-15: Knit solely on the OWL. Get it to 50%.
June 16-19: Start working on the shawl.
June 20-26: Continue working on the shawl. Start socks for the Nut challenge. Maybe finish them, I’m not sure yet because this is also birthday week for me.
June 27-30: Make Gemini Kittens. Finish any incomplete work on OWL and classes. If all done, work on Quidditch.

And here’s what is planned for classes.

Ancient Runes: Have a Heart, also for the Shawl-a-long with everyone else in the Tower who’s doing a shawl this month.
Herbology: Nutkin, also for the Ravenclaw Nut-a-long.
DADA: Gemini Kittens

ETA: And my plan of the day - finish the current OWL skein I’m on!

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)

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.