Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January Wrap-Up

Time for the January Wrap-Up! Woohoo!! I did actually get a lot finished in January. According to the list, in fact, I finished 9 things!



1. Detention - Holy Hand Grenade of Albuquerque, turned in post #166, accepted post #265, January 1

2. Defense Against the Dark Arts - Trick Hat (Hat Trick #1), turned in post 14, marked complete post 61, January 1

3. OWL - Defense Against the Dark Arts, Option 2 - Tree Skirt Invisibility Cloak, submitted post 409, pre-approved post 580, approved post 865, January 1

4. BROOM - Department: Central Command, Mission: #12 Grimmauld Place - Radience Shawl, submitted post 94, approved post 108, January 3
5. Arithmancy - Honeycomb Hat (Hat Trick #2), turned in post #137, accepted post #176, January 6

6. Muggle Studies - Lobster Trap Scarf, turned in post 319, marked complete 366, January 17

7. Potions - Ruffly Boa, turned in post 524, marked complete post #542, January 17

8. Challenge Quidditch #1 - Time Capsule Cozy, turned in post #1031, January 18

9. Care of Magical Creatures - Slytherin Broomstick, turned in (jointly with PeterRabbitFan) post 392, marked complete post 511, January 20

10. Quidditch 1 of 15 - Blue Feza Entrelac Hat for spouse, turned in post 1561, in queue as of January 23, 2009, submitted January 23

11. Transfiguraton - Ashton Shawlette, turned in post 225, marked complete post #303, January 26

... and started, but not finished yet:
12. Quidditch 2 of 15 - Bunny Nugget, in favorites as of October 22, 2009
13. Quidditch 3 of 15 - Bunny Nugget, in favorites as of October 22, 2009
14. Quidditch 4 of 15 - Bunny Nugget, in favorites as of October 22, 2009
15. Quidditch 5 of 15 - Wisp, in queue as of April 14, 2011
16. Quidditch 6 of 15 - Entrelac Hat for me, in queue as of January 23, 2009

Monday, January 30, 2012

Planning Ahead

Time to start thinking about what to craft in February. I need three hats, and some other cute, easy stuff... this is what I pulled down from Ravelry last week:


I'm not sure if I can pull off Wintersong in just a month, given all the other things I have going (more Challenge Quidditch, regular Quidditch, six classes, BROOM shawl and OWL cloak/tree-skirt). Plus, it's a short month!

I may do a scarf or two, as well. I want a Slytherin House Scarf, because I don't actually have one (all the HP scarves I've made have been in Gryffindor colors), and it might actually get cold enough to need it this year, and I have to make my husband a Scarf of Shadows (Dr. Watson's scarf from Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows).

It'll be a short, if interesting, month!!

Friday, January 27, 2012

More Bunny Nuggets: This means war!

So, my Snakes are a bit shocky: we came in DEAD LAST in Challenge Quidditch - something unfamiliar to us. (Hufflepuff has gotten FIERCE!) So, I've got to do my part and turn in as much regular quidditch as possible. To that end, a goodly handful of quidditch projects will take the form of Bunny Nuggets. Originally, I picked up the olive yarn because I had lots of it; now, as it turns out, it has spawned an IDEA. I grew up watching M*A*S*H, so the idea of Army Bunny Nuggets was born. Some will hearken to characters from the TV show; some will just be random Army Bunny Nuggets. Pictured here are the bodies of Sarge, Radar, and Padre. They'll look quite different once they have their proper wardrobes on:


I'm not sure how many Bunny Nuggets will wind up being in the Bunny Nugget Army - it will probably depend on how many not-Bunny Nugget projects wind up getting done instead!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Transfiguration: How about a dragon?

Last Sunday during the playoff games (American football), I blocked my slightly-short due to not-enough-yarn Ashton Shawlette. I really love the yarn I did it in, even if I was short. (It was the only skein at the store; if there had been more, I would've bought it!)


Since I figured a way for it to dry hanging not-quite upside down, without actually contacting the plastic of my makeshift blocking board, it dried VERY fast (air circulating on both sides!), so by Monday evening, it was good to go. Here's my turn-in post, with pics of the Final Item:
The Rocky Mountain Ironside Dragon is a native of the mountain range that stretches much of the length of the North American continent. Like most dragons, it reclusive, aided by its natural camoflage, which blends in with the rocks and lichen at the highest altitudes. Its camoflage is chameleon-like in nature; while limited to a range of greys, greens and browns, a Rocky Mountain Ironside can blend into its surroundings to great effect, making it a dangerous - and highly effective - predator.


Dragonologist Humphrey "Hawkeye" Pertwee, last known photo.
Only known image of a Rocky Mountain Ironside hunting.
Note the delicate stippling on the ridge over its brow (appx. 0.5m behind Mr. Pertwee's head).


Hatchling Rocky Mountain Ironside. Approximately 0.3m.
Wings sprout at approximately six months;
flight possible at two years.

In its natural, unthreatened/unhunting state, it appears to be a mottled green and grey. I have crafted a shawl reminiscent of the hide of a Rocky Mountain Ironside, showing the colors and mottling as they might appear on the creature's wing:


I will also never again wander around in the Rockies without a good sword and one of those Dragon-Away(tm) whistles!
Again, this isn't a *complete* Ashton Shawlette; I didn't have enough yarn to finish the second half of the last chart, so a real Ashton is much pointier along the edges than this. (See the actual Pattern Page for better pics of what it really should look like!) The following snaps are just so you can see the pattern a bit better. And because I was having fun with my camera.

So, that's all six classes done for January, yay!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

End of the World: Getting Ready

So, 2012, the end of the world, or something.


End of the world, illustration

BunnyBao.com has a cute little End of the World Countdown Clock App - I know this, because I have it.


Random screenshot from Monday.

It's available through the iTunes store. As is R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It". (Hint: if you get the version off the Document album, it's only $.69!)

And yes, once December 21 rolls around, I'll be playing that song on endless repeat in the office. (Just so that everyone I work with will WISH the world was actually going to end. Because they don't believe I'm actually going to do it. And they really should know better.)

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Third Hat for January

I've wanted to make this Exact Hat for my DH to match a scarf I made him in January of 2009, but managed to lose the third ball of yarn in the week it took me to make his scarf.


The scarf in 2009

Over the Christmas holiday just past, while attempting to organize the stash, I FOUND IT!!! Woohooo!!


Hat, started Friday

For this particular hat, to make it actually fit DH, I cast on 64 st, then did 8-stitch base triangles and first squares, then 6-stitch squares, then 5-stitch squares, then 3-stitch squares, then 1-stitch "squares" at the top.

He loves it, and actually wore it the second I had finished it. HAT WIN!!


Monday, January 23, 2012

CoMC

Busy today, since I was late due to ice... so, here's my CoMC turn-in post. We were to study Quintapeds, and had the option of making the same pattern with another student, with inter-house "duels" encouraged. Sorry about the weird spacing; no time to fix it just now!


Hello, Professors! This is a joint Turn-in Post, documenting our Accidental Duel (of sorts). Please see the attached transcript of our Incident Interview - it explains everything.

Name: PeterRabbitFan
House: Gryffindor, First Year
Option: 3, Duel!!
Project Page: Broomstick Bookmark
Yardage: 27.5

Name: CraftyGryphon
House: Slytherin, Sixth Year
Option: 3, Duel!!
Project Page: Slytherin Broomstick
Yardage: 27

MP: All right, girls, explain one more time what happened. Please keep in mind that your words will be recorded. MP activates Exact-Quote Quill.

PRF: Well, I was out on the pitch. Just me, practice was over, but I wanted to work on elevation changes. Yawl and pitch are still giving me some issues. Flying is harder than sailing.

CG: I was up in the stands, minding my own business...

MP: Dropping eggs on your classmates. Yes, we know. We'll deal with that later, Miss.

CG: gulp Actually, um, I was doing my History of Magic homework, Ma'am? The eggs were part of my reseach?

MP: Later, Miss Gryphon. Back to what you witnessed, please.

CG: Well, um, I saw her (points at PRF) just sort of doing figure-eights over the field. Nothing really strange, typical newbie stuff.

MP: You didn't notice anything unusual? Or were you too busy targeting people exiting the stands?

CG: Um... I plead the fifth. Or eighth. Whichever. Anyway, suddenly she started gesturing wildly...

PRF: There was a wasp!

CG: ... and her broom just took off. I took off after her. (Shrugs.)

MP: It's unlikely there was a wasp in the middle of January.

PRF: It looked like a wasp. And I didn't have my wand out or anything! My broom just went!!




PeterRabbitFan's Broom

CG: And it kept on going. We were in the air for almost four hours, and it was really, REALLY cold by the time the broom decided to land!

MP: Luckily, you were both wearing your winter robes.

PRF: (Nods.) It helped with the landing, that's for sure.

MP: Now, now, your arm should heal quickly. It was a clean break, thankfully. STOP fiddling with your cast, dear.

PRF: Yes'm.

MP: So, you landed, albeit ungracefully.

CG: Tail-over-teakettle is more like it, Ma'am. Both of us. The brooms just stopped, and we kept going!

PRF: It did hurt. A lot.

MP: I'm certain it did. So, the brooms "just stopped"?

CG: Well, hers stopped, and I stopped next to her. I hadn't really realized how FAST we were going after so many hours, or I might've circled around or something. And then I was trying to figure out where the heck we were, since it was getting close to dark and I'd had trouble following landmarks and stuff. I'm American, so I'm not super-good at English geography yet. Although I'm pretty sure I saw Hadrian's Wall... that was pretty neat...

PRF: I had my eyes shut most of the time. I didn't want to fall off my broom!

MP: Of course not, dear. Now, what were you able to notice once you'd landed?

PRF: Welll, my arm really hurt, but saw everything was grey. I mean EVERYTHING. Grey, grey, and more grey.

CG: Every shade of grey. Lots and lots of grey.

MP: So, essentially, things were grey.

Both girls nod.

CG: She was actually the one the figured it out first. She really likes animals.

PRF: Well, I said "Gee, this is a pretty dreary place," and then it hit me, and then we saw them.

MP: Them?

PRF: The Quintapeds. There were four of them.

CG: They move really really fast.

PRF: And have A LOT of teeth.

MP: You actually saw Quintapeds?

PRF: Yeah! It was cool. There were two big ones - adults, I think - and two juveniles! They were hunting, in a pack! Like wolves, or dragons!

CG: Dragons don't hunt in packs.

PRF: Do too!

CG: Do not!

PRF: Do too!

MP: GIRLS! That will be enough of that. How were you able to escape??

CG: I accioed my broom - I think I was scared enough that I was moving darned fast myself. I just grabbed her (points to PRF) by the scruff of her neck, basically, and took off. Once we were up a ways, I accioed her broom. I put her arm in a sort-of sling with her tie, and tied her broom to my broom with mine. Since her broom had been acting weird, I kept my hand on the knot to release it if it took off again.




CraftyGryphon's Broom

MP: That was good thinking. What of the Quintapeds?

PRF: They weren't happy. They bark, did you know that? Kinda like dogs?

CG: Dinner escaped. They were totally going to eat us.

PRF: Ew. It would've been cool to watch them a bit longer...

CG: They totally would've eaten us.

MP: You're likely correct. Quintapeds are known to eat humans. Now, how were you able to find your way back to Hogwarts?

PRF: Eshaness Lighthouse. The sun was mostly set behind us, but there was SOMETHING that wasn't a star way over on thte horizon.

CG: She's farsighted, I totally couldn't see it. But she could, so I flew us towards it.

PRF: It turned out to be Eshaness Lighthouse. Once we actually knew where we were, it was easy to get to Lerwick. It's only about a fifteen minute flight, as the crow goes.

MP: Ah, yes, there is still a Portkey in Lerwick, isn't there? Yes, there must be. Goodness, I haven't been to the Shetlands since I was a girl...

CG: (Muttered under breath) Once she knew where she was, anyway...

MP: So, you were able to send an owl to your parents?

PRF: Yes, Ma'am. Well, first, we went to the police station, the one on Market Street. And we asked the officer at the desk if we could make a call.

CG: And then the nice witch came in.

PRF: Yeah, Miss Orgill. She said she'd seen us arrive, and that she'd help us find our parents.

CG: Except we totally knew that she didn't really mean that. Anyway, she asked us a lot of the same questions, and fixed her arm. And sent the owl for us.

PRF: She was really nice. She'd seen us fly over the first time - she's an orinthologist.

MP: Ah, a bird-watcher. That makes sense.

PRF: So, um, are we in trouble?

MP: (To PRF) You aren't, dear. Your broom is being examined, of course. Miss Gryphon, however, will have to see the headmistress.

CG: Stupid eggs.

MP: I heard that, Miss Gryphon. We'll turn the Quill off now.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Wisp!

Regular Quidditch has three paths this term: I took Oneiromancy - basically, if it's been in my queue or favorites BEFORE October 1, 2011, I can turn it in for 15 points; if it's a WIP started before Aug. 31, 2011, I can turn it in for 10 points. While I am going to try to finish at least three WIPs, and I have a backup plan of a Bunny Nugget Army of whatever size I need in the end, I'm taking the opportunity to get a few things done that I've wanted to make for a while.

First up is Cheryl Niamath's WISP from knitty.com. Here it is after Day One:


... and here it is the morning of Day Three, when I realized I had a hole in it. Joy.


Yep, a hole in fishnet lace. Yay.

Luckily, 100% invisible repair isn't necessary, which made this a LOT easier. Sadly, the center-pull on my little ball of green mohair (Neighborhood Fiber Company "Loft") wouldn't pull, so I actually had to cut the yarn to get a piece for the repair. (Luckily, few fibers felt-splice quite as nicely as mohair.) I used a crochet hook to weave the stitches to where they should be, then used a 6" length of yarn to tie them in place (yep, TIE), and wove in the two ends of that, one horizontally, one vertically. If you look really hard, you can spot the knot and the extra wraps around the horizontal threads:


... but from any sort of distance, nobody will notice. (And I had enough trouble finding it to take the picture that it won't bother me, either.)

So, disaster averted, and by the end of next week, I should have a lovely green Wisp!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Time Capsule Cozy

The first Quidditch Challenge, in short, was as follows:
"You must make a memento to leave behind for future civilizations that may visit Earth. Your memento may represent yourself, the wizarding world, or humanity at large."
Since I am BOMBARDED with election things (from both sides, on all sides!) and I can see Congress out the front window, I knew I had to do something related to the craziness that's just heating up. (No, really, it WILL get more prevalent as the year goes on.) I had this left over from my American Flag dishcloth binge:


... and I'm pretty good at glass cozies at this point... plus, I can't find my With Flames wool one. So, here's my turn-in post:
Name: CraftyGryphon
House: Slytherin, Sixth Year
Tags: slyqw12challenge1, sqwin12
Project Page: Time Capsule Cozy
Yardage: Approximately 58, because of multiple stranding

I crafted a cup cozy with an actual Symbol as a symbol of our times. The Muggle world in the lower half of the North American Continent is headed into a major election year (every leap year, those particular Muggles choose new leaders, or keep the old ones, depending on who gets the most votes in the "Electoral College", which, I assure you, is NOTHING like Hogwarts). One of the sides in the election four years back adopted a stylized blue-and-red "O" as its symbol, and no matter which side (I think there are three this time?) a Muggle is on, there's really no avoiding that symbol, as it is plastered on Muggle vehicles, clothing, what-have-you, with more and more frequency as the "Election Year" (which really started sometime in 2010) heats up. It isn't often that a symbol is, itself, a symbol of the times, but this one is!!
The image is actually on the cozy twice: the chart I used is on the 'net, for free, here at emileeknits.com.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Lobster Trap Scarf

Here's the turn-in post for my Muggle Studies assignment.

Hello, Professors! During my study of the Muggle fishing industry, I happened upon a subset thereof, the Lobstering Industry. Lobstering started as an industry in the early 1600s in the Eastern United States and Canada. Unlike today, where lobster is a delicacy, it was considered something you might eat if you really couldn't find anything else. (There are even stories of indentured servants having it written into their contracts that they could not be served lobster more than twice a week.) The industry really picked up in the 1700s, where custom-made boats with open holding wells on deck, allowed live lobsters to be shipped (fresh lobster - still a Good Thing after 400+ years!). Flash forward 200 years, and the most common type of lobster trap is a wooden parlor trap. (Wooden parlor traps were the forerunners of today’s wire parlor traps.) There is a minimum size of lobster you can trap, you can't trap female egg-bearing lobsters (so there will be more later!). The largest lobster, according to Guiness Book of World Records, caught off Nova Scotia. It was listed as 44 lbs 6 oz with a length, from the tip of its tail to the tip of its crusher claw, at 3 ½ feet. The industry earns in the billions every year, even with strict conservation measures, and is worked mostly by individuals and small cooperatives.

I decided to try my hand at trapping my own lobster, by making a Lobster Trap Scarf. I put the trap out....



... and sure enough, it worked!!



There are also Lobstering Cruises, where you can go get your very own lobster. It sounds a bit dangerous, but it could be interesting. I think, though, that my little Lobster Trap works just fine!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Fabulous!

For Potions, we had to whip up something Fabulous quickly. NOTHING says "Fabulous!" like a ruffly red boa!! Luckily, I had a lot of Starbella yarn on hand, and I've long since given up knitting mesh yarns, I just crochet them. (Faster, and if I drop my stitch, I don't lose half the scarf.)


We also got bonus points if we turned in a recipe - so I went to one of my faves (slightly modified to remove things I'm allergic to).

Recipie - Scallion Eggroll Pancakes

Ingredients
1 large egg
2 teaspoons sesame oil
8 egg roll wraps
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 cup finely chopped scallions (white *and* green parts)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
soy sauce (to taste)

Preparation
1. Beat the egg and sesame oil together.
2. Brush one side of one egg roll wrapper with the egg mixture.

3. Sprinkle with 1/4 green onions and 1 tsp. sesame seeds.
4. Brush one side of another egg roll wrapper and press wet side on top of the other one and press down to seal.
5. Repeat for other 3 pancakes.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil on medium high heat in medium-sized frying pan (or whatever you've got, make it work!)
7. Fry each side of each pancake for about 2 minutes until golden brown. (Add more heat if necessary.)
8. Cut each into 6 pieces, and serve with soy sauce.

Wheee!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Geek Gold

My cousin got to see Carrie Fisher live during her "Wishful Drinking" tour (Carrie Fisher's, not my cousin's). She got me this (my cousin, not Carrie Fisher - but Carrie Fisher signed it!)




(And it's Carrie Fisher of Postcards from the Edge/Star Wars, not Carrie Fisher who was Carrie Underwood. Just thought I should make that clear.)

Friday, January 13, 2012

Lobster Trap Scarf - in progress

What I'm trying to finish today: a Lobster Trap Scarf.


I'm not certain it's going to happen, but at least lacets go VERY QUICKLY after my History of Magic OWL attempt!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

New Brooms

My lovely plan to make myself a pair of much-needed gloves (It's cold under the air vent at my desk at work. No, I can't actually move my desk) has fallen in favor of helping my mom get her January class finished. Instead of Charms, I'll be doing CoMC Option #3, a duel - two people making the same thing. We'll each be making this:


Broomstick Bookmark
by Kristina Gill

Mine will have green and silver highlights; hers will have red and gold. Just so they're clearly the same pattern - but different. I have a TON of acrylic in brown and yellow, and... yep, just remembered where the red and green were. So, hoping to knock one out tonight so I have a couple of weeks to help her with hers.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Scarf of Shadows

From the Offical Movie Site:


If you're a knitter and you saw "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows", you saw the scarf. The scarf that actually managed to be part of the running story, which, for knitting in an action/adventure movie, is rare.


Image from hollywoodmoviecostumesandprops.blogspot.com

YarnYenta has whipped up a quick pattern so you can make your own Scarf of Shadows, and used KnitPicks City Tweed (from the look of it, Snowshoe (white), Larkspur (blue) and Tarantella (brown)). The Rav download of the pattern is here.


YarnYenta wins for one of the coolest props in a pattern pic!

The scarf is already showing up in non-knitting-related pop culture sketches. And it doesn't hurt that brown and turquoise is one of my favorite color combinations.

Image from totallynotabrony.tumblr.com;
artist ??

inappropriatelyadorable.tumblr.com,
artist Nicole (it's her site -
and she does commissions!)

Yeah. I'll be making one of these. I may even have yarn that would work in the stash - but if not, I know where to get it!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Arithmancy - done!

Last Thursday morning, I started a hat:


Last Friday afternoon, I finished it:


It's supposed to be a Honeycomb Hat, but I modded the pattern a bit, so while it fits nice and snugly and actually covers my ears, I think it more resembles a beehive instead of honeycomb. But hey, that's Arithmancy done!


Monday, January 9, 2012

My first - and only - weaving!

I made this in 1976, when I was just a little girl, for the US Bicentennial. Other than cotton-loop potholders (which I think everyone makes at some point), I believe it’s the only weaving I’ve ever done.


I made it up as I went; it’s somewhat scratchy acrylic yarn, but I was very, VERY proud of it. I seem, vaguely, to remember that I actually made my own cardboard-box loom to do it, too!


I’m going through my house, and getting rid of Things. Thanks to the internet, I can save photos of the Things in several places, thus ensuring I’ll remember them, without actually having to KEEP them.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Order Mission Request

Speaking about those BROOMs - I'm definitely doing a Central Command mission this time. There's a bunch of people doing the Radience shawl, and I found The. Most. Perfect. Yarn!!! for it - some wildharefibers.com "Galaxy" in the New Penny colorway. It is beyond gorgeous, and it will be such fun to knit up!


I did have just a wee bit of trouble, though, winding it up. Turns out you actually need to pay attention to your ball winder, and not just wind with one hand while holding a book you're reading in the other.


Ooops!


Here's my Mission Proposal:
BROOM
Name: CraftyGryphon (aka Moira Hazard)
House: Slytherin, Sixth Year
Department: Central Command
Mission: #12 Grimmauld Place


To the attention of Chief IsisOnEarth:

I would like to apply for consideration for another Order Mission. As my proposed Order Mission last term was technically successful but personally went a bit... wrong (please see my file), it was decided at that time - how did my sister, Carrolon, put it? Oh yes - I'm not to be allowed "off my leash" again until I'm a bit older.

Therefore, I propose to knit a Radience Shawl, which starts in the center of the back (with a mere 5 stitches!), and then radiates outward (hm, that's why it's called "Radience", maybe?), increasing gradually into a lovely semicirle, with a lovlier ruffly edge! The pattern itself comes with a checklist version - which tells the knitter what to do for each row, and how far along (in %) the knitter is at any given point. I found the prettiest yarn - Wild Hare Fibers "Galaxy" in the "New Penny" colorway - which is just perfect for something called "Radience". Since it is a lace shawl and fairly simple, I should be able to finish it within the stated time frame as long as I'm good and stay in the Central Office and knit.(It's still a pretty big shawl, and there is a LOT of picot edging right at the end. I'm hoping I'm not biting off more than I can chew, but I think I'm up to it.)

I have to add that applying for this particular mission was mostly my sister's idea. She's a big fan of keeping me busy, which supposedly keeps me out of trouble, even though I was perfectly busy last term and the only trouble I got in was TOTALLY her fault, really. I think I'd be fine on another undercover mission. But since she and my new brother-in-law insist, I would like to request I be allowed to stay here at #12 Grimmauld Place this term.

Thank you for your consideration!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

OWL: Defense Against The Dark Arts

So, I turned in my OWL proposal. After totally failing to figure out a new-to-me Transfiguration skill that would work with my proposed project, and wanting to save Potions until later (since I don't really need it for either NEWT), I decided to go with Defense Against the Dark Arts, Option Two: Make an Invisibility Cloak. Since I was already planning to make a Tree Skirt/Cloak, it was probably the best fit for the project anyway. I still had a BUNCH of yarn:


... but opted for steel crochet hooks. I also bought an amazingly lovely Brittany size J my last trip to Nature's Yarns (just last Tuesday) - and I've already lost in in the house!


I had to re-do my swatch, to make it easier to see - and also because I figured if I started with 9 central stitches, went to sc-chx9 in the 2nd row, then I could start the dc clusters 2-2-2-3 on the sides, and the trapezoid would form nicely on its own. See?


I also did a swatch for the central portion - which I hadn't done before. Looking at the original tree skirt, in some cases, rounds were made bigger by the simple expedient of adding more stitches to a cluster - and it works!




See? 3dc cluster, 4dc cluster, 3dc cluster
does actually make the outer row not stretch funny!

I had pre-approval from the Assistant Examiner by Tuesday evening, and just had to wait for final approval to get started! Woohoo!!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Starting off strong

Defense Against the Dark Arts is my theme this term. So, again on January 1, I managed to whip up a little bamboo Trick Hat. It's Crystal Palace's Wee Bamboozle Bag done with an extra long i-cord tie - which, if knotted in a bow, turns the whole thing into a cloche.

Here's the hat part:




Here's the bag part, and, as you can see, the cord is shoulder-bag length. It'll work as a tiny project bag. (Circular needles only, though. DPNs would go right through it, and it needs to be stretchy to be worn as a hat, so I can't really line it!

So, 25 points for Slytherin so far. And I've figured out Quidditch (good for at least another 225), turned in my OWL proposal (Woohoo!), and should have my BROOM proposal in by the end of the week. And, hopefully, a few more classes!!