New Term has Begun

A new term started today for the Harry Potter Knit & Crochet House Cup. I've already managed to turn in a class:

Magical Literature - make something with a heart or hearts: 

Started another class:

It's the Adela Knitalong run by Kelbourne Woolens, in some TurtleMade Sparkle Soxk, color 341. It's for DADA (use sparkly yarn).

I turned in my OWL proposal. It's Arithmancy, and I'm FINALLY going to make Wolly Thoughts "A New Angle". I even found all the yarn!

Plus, I got my first badge for turning in my OWL proposal, then turning in a class before my OWL was approved:

So, off to a good start! Quidditch warm ups are this week, BROOMS next week... oh boy...!

Blizzard Knitting

First up: a dishcloth with hearts on it. (Little Hearts by Rachel can Schie, free via Ravelry.)

This is how my WIP numbers soar over 100... or 200

In a fit of I'm-not-sure-what, I started a set of Margaret Sherry kitty coasters that I bought over a decade ago and just found again. I'll be following the pattern on four of them (and then doing heaven only knows what for the other two coasters).

And Crochet! I do that too!

The other thing I started this month was a small cotton bathmat. The fancy bathmats with the rubber backing just don't survive in my house (even the cute duck-shaped one), and I did manage to do a major cotton yarn haul at the Dollar Store last year. So, I found a really pretty crochet pattern: Simple Tunisian Bath Mat by Sarah Beaton. (It's possible I found the pattern first, and thought - "that's bloody brilliant!") I then got a fancy new hook:


(click on hook to get one of your own)
... and then I discovered I have COMPLETELY forgotten how to do Tunisian crochet. And I've got an entire SWEATER made out of Tunisian crochet.

Very sad.

Now I didn't have big-screen (over the size of an iPhone) computer access, but I had a new hook and yarn... so I decided to wing it. I still remember afghan stitch, so I got two orphan balls that kinda went together, and cast on the number of stitches I would have if I was doing the Tunisian crochet bath mat (which is still lovely and I'm totally doing one eventually), and I have gotten this far:


Totally the wrong background to shoot against.
The camera can barely handle the carpet, but the carpet and the yarn...?
If I can finish this one, I may well be on to something...

Freezer Pop Cozies

So, I needed two really fast projects for the end of Quidditch. I grew up loving freezer pops (and still do); and wrapping a paper towel around one just never cut it. Years ago, someone made a Fla-Vor-Ice cozy for fun, and I immediately favorited the project. And now, finally, I have an excuse to make one: 15 Points for Slytherin!!


Seriously, they’re easy, and having rigorously tested it, I can say that it does, indeed work.

My fifteenth and final regular Quidditch project for this term: Another Freezer Pop Cozy! Woohoo!! This one vaguely resembles a bunch of daffodils in a field under a blue sky. Or something. I was really tired when I finished it….


And DONE!! 225 total points for Slytherin (plus 45 for three challenges). YAY!!

Defense Against the Dark Arts - OWL Exam Success!

So, last week was a horrid combo of lots of work, lots and LOTS of pollen, and trying desperately to Not Fail my DADA OWL exam. I have survived, and the blog will be back to regular M-F updates for the foreseeable future (ie, until the end of next term at the end of July.) Here it is, finished, the Tree Skirt of DOOOOOOM.

OWL - Defense Against the Dark Arts, Option 2 - Tree Skirt Invisibility Cloak
Proposal submitted post 409, pre-approved post 580, approved post 865
50% OWL - turned in post 564, accepted post 676

100% OWL - turned in post 367!

Hello, dear Examiners!

IT IS FINISHED! Originally, I was hoping we'd have a nice snowy winter with storms well into march so I could hide in a snowbank near some bushes and blend in. Oh well, not the case, and not really the weather at all for a nice, heavy cloak - but here it is!!


Completed DADA OWL in Tree Skirt Form


Completed DADA OWL in full-circle cloak form (neck to knee proof)


Completed DADA OWL rendering me completely invisible

I expect to officially use it mostly in Tree Skirt form, more or less. It will go well with my white-with-synchronized-lights Christmas tree this year!

Whee! Done!!!

50% of an O.W.L.

So, I did make my 50% mark (and then some, actually!) on my Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. Since I'm still trying to catch up on blogposts, here's my turn-in post from Wednesday....

Name: CraftyGryphon
House: Slytherin, Sixth Year
Project Page: Tree Skirt Invisibility Cloak
Proposal Post: submitted post 409
Tags: sqwin12 dadaowl defenseagainstthedarkartsowl owlwinter2012
Yards (so far): 3,215.5 (isn't as bad as I thought it might be at this point.)

Hello, Examiners! I made it!!

Proposed 50% Mark: Halfsies!! There are 36 edge squares, 12 big trapezoids, 24 inner trapezoids, and then all the center stuff. The total area of actual crochet (last column, below) is approximately 63 square feet; half is about 31.5 square feet. The 50% point falls about just under 1/4 of the way through the 12" block section, so 1/4 of the 12" blocks (i.e., 3 blocks) plus 24 6" inner blocks plus the 18" of clusters should get me over the 50% mark.

What I've actually got done: 36 edge squares, 12 big trapezoids, 24 inner trapezoids, and all the center stuff. Which is all the component parts, yay! And yet... there is still more to do! I've actually got to join everything together, and math being what it is, it appears I will need to make an additional four small trapezoids for the bottom row. (I evidently calculated a nice pie-wedge opening, instead of the actual "hey, this needs to be straight-closed down the front" that actually happened.)

Here's everything finished thus far, sort of spread out. On a king-sized bed. Except for the 34 outer-edge trapezoids that are dumped in the middle.


The stuff dumped in the middle.


An earlier progress photo to show that there's actually a hole in the center of the thing, which was entirely covered by trapezoids in the other two shots:


Getting it all together and hanging properly AND lying flat is really turning into a challenge. I'm not using any sort of pattern, just making it up as I go, and it's a bit trickier than expected. I'm getting pretty good at figuring out how to crochet pretty strange shapes on the fly, although there's been a LOT of ripping back to get things to work. Whee?

I think I've got a good shot at actually finishing this thing. It's eating up an AMAZING amount of yarn - half a bongo bag so far - and it's going to make a really pretty tree skirt/cloak. But mostly tree skirt, which will be wonderful with my electric-white fake Christmas tree!!

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.

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.

Glitz-y Wreath

So, Friday evening at Nature's Yarns, I got some Rozetti Marina "Glitz". I was really, really hoping to find some in Emerald, and I did - because when I made my first no-fall scarf from Marina Flora, I thought "hm, this would make a lovely wreath". So, I decided to try it.

It started out as a long chain of sparkly green fluff. Actually, it started out as 11 stitches across of knitting, but even "folded" in half, it wasn't quite the level of fluff I was looking for, so when I managed to drop a stitch (giving me a free-fallen loop of about 3yds in length), I took that as a sign that this wreath should be crocheted. So, chain 6 (skipping a loop in between); then just do a modified dc across. The modified dc involved making sure between each dc there's three or four holes on the yarn, and the first pullthrough is done with the next hole, the second with the hole after that. (I know that doesn't really make sense, but just play with it, you'll get something you like.)


On the final row, just "graft"/dc it to the first row, and pull the little bit of fluff left through the last stitch nice & tight.


I used a wire coathanger for the frame, and added some ribbon. I'm not sure about the ribbon; I might change it to red or gold. And have my mom tie the bow; hers always look super-good, and mine... well, it's definitely bow-shaped, at least.

October is DONE.

October Wrap-Up:
1. Transfiguration - Acorn, Large, turned in post 24, marked complete post 66, October 4;
2. Care of Magical Creatures - Zombieproof Hat, turned in post 102, marked complete post 157, October 4;
3. Defense Against the Dark Arts, Neckwarmer!, turned in post 79, marked complete post 242, October 4;
4. Ancient Runes, Holastafur Hotpad, turned in post 42, marked complete post 46, October 5;
5. Muggle Studies, Glittery Faux-Lei, turned in post 127, marked complete post 129, October 10;
6. DETENTION - Nancy Shawl, started April 2011; turned in post 206, marked complete post 208, October 12;
7. Quidditch - Fire Task #2, Mantle of the Phoenix, turned in post 3283, marked complete post 3303, October 12;
8. Quidditch, Yule Ball event #2 - Dances - The Chudley Cannonball; The Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers Tango, post 3809, scored post ???, October 20;
9. Potions, Swiffer Cover!, turned in post 464, marked complete post 530, October 25;
10. 50% OWL (Evenstar Shawl), turned in post 373, marked complete post 377, October 27;
11. Arithmancy, Fractal Hot Pad, turned in post 345, marked complete post 376.



... and November promises to be even crazier. Whee!!

Arithmancy win?

Arithmancy - FOUR three fails and a win!

Attempt One: Sierpenski Triangles, shawl. Crocheted in chocolate & teal chenille, very soft, in a continuous piece - so planning What Happens Next was a brain-hurter. Would need another two of these, minimum, to make anything - could not face it.


Attempt Two: Sierpenski Triangles, scarf. Crocheted two-colors, carrying the "off" color between the stitches. Actually works fairly well, and have figured out how to form the pieces better. Still probably getting frogged, though, since getting through 2.5 rows (8 needed) was mind-numbing *and* too-much-thinking all at once.


Attempt Three: Sierpenski Triangles, um, needle case? Decided to make just ONE set of opposite triangles (see chart), and see how that went. Worked out the best method for actually getting sharp triangle-shapes to work, got about halfway through. COMPLETELY LOST INTEREST. Will probably get finished up for Detention next month, since I could use a DPN-rollup case.


Attempt Four: Gave up on triangles, went to a simple nine-square "shoo-fly" grid, which can be expanded up on itself. Not truly fractal, since it wouldn't occur in nature, but the assignment was "Option 3: Craft anything you like, but be sure to explain clearly how it relates to fractals." And since it's a block made up of tiny similar blocks, I think it this pattern counts. It was going to be a sparkly pillow-top, with five 27x27 black-and-copper squares squares, made up of five 9x9 black and copper squares broken up by four 9x9 copper squares, broken up by four 27x27 copper squares. Just not enough time to finish the whole thing. (It's in Vanna's Glamour, and on size 3 needles. GAH.)


Attempt Five: Coasters, based on the 27x27 patch, double knit in yarn that was lying around. A dark/light nine-patch square made up of little dark/light nine-patch squares which is made up of little dark/light nine stitch squares. I totally think it counts as the spirit of fractal, if not actually fractal itself.. Of course, by the time I had my Baby Ull cast on (in lovely purple and green), I realized I was making another hot pad - that's the second this month, and about the size my attention span will permit me to double knit.




*phew* That's everything I need done for October! Yay!!!

More things to do with cotton yarn....

So, for Potions this month, we had an option to make an Item Used in Muggle Cleaning. So, I found a crochet pattern for a a "Swiffer Cover". Swiffer is one of those sinister products that uses the "Razor and Blades" scheme - the consumer is able to purchase the handle assembly at a low price, but has to to purchase replacement refills and pads over the life of the product (and that adds up to a multibillion-dollar industry in fifteen countries). I happen to have competitor's product, engineered along the same lines, and still (allegedly) reliant upon buying refill after refill of the "mop pads". Or, rather, it was, until I made this: It's SheepOfADifferentColor.com's pattern, but the website is down right now, so the only way to get to the pattern is to look at the Ravelry Page for it (sorry!).

Half a ball of washable cotton - nice, washable reusable cotton - can substitute easily for one of the mop pads. So, for a small outlay of time and yarn (in this case, fifty cents - one half of a ball fo Pisgah Peaches & Cream, scored at the Dollar Store!), one can stop shelling out money for one-use pads.

The only problem is that mine looks so nice and pretty I don't actually want to get dirt on it!!

On the other hand, I know one of the things I'll be getting my mom for Christmas is a bunch of these in pretty colors. She's hit the "impossible to buy for" stage, but still loves anything I make for her. Yes, even Cleaning-Related Items.

A Cactus for Uranus

For Astronomy this month, we're studying Uranus. And if a little tiny part of you snickered quietly to yourself and said "she said Uranus!!" - then welcome to Slytherin House. Based on everyone's inner ten-year-old, a bunch of Snakes are doing Toilet Paper Roll Covers to turn in en masse this month. I can safely say I was always in the anti-TP Roll Cover camp, but I hadn't been exposed to the variety that's out there. Some of them are cute, some are amazingly clever. (Someone's even making a TARDIS.) One of my fellow snakes made this one, and whipped up the "pot" to go with it - it converts from One Roll to Two. So, here's a Cactus for Uranus... (more giggling here):


One Roll


Two Rolls
The pattern was pretty easy. For the pot, KimS just whipped one up from scratch and shared the pattern. I changed it by making my last row triple crochet around - to make it more flowerpot-like.


I also opted for just one flower. I'm actually starting to run low on scratchy yellow acrylic - it's going into a lot of projects lately. I stayed at one flower since I ran out of the pink yarn - it's French knots made from the leftovers of my K-Pop shawl.


The cactus itself is knit with two strands of Vanna's Choice in Olive (BTW, the pot is one strand of Vanna's Choice in Honey). I know it took 58 yards of the doubled yarn, because I actually had to measure off 30-yard chunks so I'd have two strands! The cactus spines are made from three strands of embroidery floss, knotted (bowlines turned out to work best) and cut off at the tips.


It's a nice little cactus.


It's a little strange, but I keep wanting to hug it. I guess I should just be glad I've never had that urge around a *real* cactus!!


... and, just for completeness, this is the cover I started *before* I found out about Cacti. I think I'm glad I changed projects; this was pretty, but just not as overall cool as my convertible cactus.

Term Begins, and I'm already hopelessly overcommitted!!

Oh, the joy! Classes dropped! My Astronomy O.W.L. was proposed and accepted! And I changed my OAE goal from Third Class to First Class - which means I have a LOT of knitting coming up. So, I looked at the scheduled classes for the month. For Third Class, I have to knit one thing for each class offered - which means I need to hit Astronomy, Divination and Herbology this month, since they're only offered now and in November. (Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Transfiguration are ONLY offered in October - eek!). I figured out what I could make from the yarn I had on me...

... yes, I took six balls of yarn, two sets of needles and a crochet hook with me to work, just in case I could start any/all of my classes immediately. THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL.

Because I say so.

Anyway, chart:


Once I figured out the classes I wanted to take, then I figured out that I'd be doing original patterns for two, and needed actual patterns for the other two, got them printed out, and got the class requirements printed out. Assembled the classes in alphabetical order, with patterns (as applicable) behind them....

... yes, I put all my classes in a notebook at the beginning of each month. THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL.

Because I say so.

Anyway, paperwork:


Then, I realized that the six balls of yarn I'd brought with me would work for four of the classes. I've started Astronomy and Charms, so far... well, okay, I've started all of them, I just won't have all of them done just yet. But I can't believe I'll actually be able to use all the yarn I brought with me! And the Scrap Bag has enough black and silver for Muggle Studies, and enough orange for Defense Against the Dark Arts, too. Again, THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL. Everyone has scrap yarn. And I'm being good, and working from the stash!!


So, off to a good start this term. If my O.W.L. doesn't kill me this time (I had double-OWLfail last term), I should be all set. Right?

Right.

Because I say so!

July Wrap-Up

I kinda forgot to do the wrap-up last month, so here's June and July's Hogwarts Fun (only July pictured):

JUNE: Quidditch, Round 4 - Potter Puppet Pals (Post 3964), June 3; 50% OWL - Defense Against the Dark Arts (Post 173), June 10; Charms - American Flag Potholder (Post #233, June 27, approved post #356; DADA - Easy Pretty Dishcloth (Post #304, approved post 321; 50% OWL - History of Magic (Post 744), June 30.

JULY: Care of Magical Creatures - Bacon Washcloth and Face Poof (Post 34), approved post 53, July 5; Muggle Studies - S-is-for-Snake Dishcloth (Post 52), approved post 54, July 8; Hallows #1 - Resurrection Stone - American Flag Potholders (Post 4884, July 12 and Hallows #2 - Elder Wand - Various Dishcloths, same post, July 28; History of Magic - Ancient Cursebreaking Cloth (Post #49), approved post 109, July 13; Potions - Incendio Antidote (Post #159), approved post 164, July 14;
Charms - Star Dishcloth (Post #62), approved post 79, July 14.

Didn't finish either OWL this time. Too many Health Icks. Next term, I'm only doing ONE OWL. That's it, just one!!!

1,000 posts? Really??

Turned in three classes this week, somewhat unexpectedly, and should have a sixth by the end of the month. Wasn't planning on that, but I'll take it! These are my turn-in posts.

Charms:

I chose Option 2: Craft something that means something specific to you personally. I had some leftover yarn (about 100 yards - crochet really does use more yarn than knitting!) that didn't have a dedicated purpose, and cried out to be made into Something. This is what I came up with. (Really, the center is Navy Blue. It's just hard to tell, but it is!)


Now, the explanation. I've always had a bit of a stars-and-stripes theme going; the product of a military upbringing, in part, and a love of bright colors for the rest. My kitchen has the theme (not "Danger Men Cooking"; my mom insisted I have a border in my kitchen when we got the house; she's been trying to get me to get rid of it since), with all sorts of red-white-blue things going, most notably the curtains by the window.


I've painted furniture (it looks like it's a set of dressers, but really, it's, um, not, because who'd have dressers outside the kitchen?) to match...


... and I tend to make more things to match when I can, like, for example, dishcloths for Hallows.


But getting stars on things is tricky. Unless it's screened fabric, or something huge like an afghan, stars just don't happen easily, and even if they do, they may not look good. Leaving me with a decided Unbalance of Stars in my decor. So, I made a big one! It will go in my kitchen, probably somewhere near the oven. Since it's cotton, it will probably wind up being an all-purpose towel/dishcloth. Or just a pretty happy thing!

Thanks for the assignment, Professors. I like making pretty happy things!

---

Potions:

I chose to Craft a Direct Antidote to counteract injuries caused by the Incendio charm. It is based on the Rule of Three: it is a three-ply yarn, made from three long color runs, amounting to approximately forty and one-half yards. To activate it, simply wind it thrice, widdershins, around the affected area. Until activation, it should stay wrapped clockwise on a frame of some sorts, strands not touching. (No harm will be done if the strands are in contact, but it decreases the active life of the antidote by a few months.)


As a side note, it also seems to work nicely for mosquito bites. I'm not quite certain why, but as side effects go, I'll take it!

---

History of Magic:

I have chosen Option 2: Craft something that would help you break ancient curses. (And it only took 60 yards of cotton!)

I have created a protective disc that I believe will be effective in breaking ancient curses (and protecting the user from any that might not quite break entirely).


It is a fifteen-pointed green disc, meant to be held between the cursed object/place and the user. Cursed objects may be held by the user, but the user is advised to be certain no direct contact with the actual object occurs until the disc has had a chance to work. Average working time varies from two to fifteen minutes, with up to two hours required for coverage areas in excess of two acres.

Why it works: Green was the color of the 'Eye of Horus', or 'Wedjat', which had healing and protective powers, and so the color also represented well-being. To do 'green things' was to do behave in a positive, life affirming manner - the exact opposite of curses! (There's a really interesting article on colors in Ancient Egyptian art here, if anyone else is interested.) The number five in ancient Egypt incorporates the principles of polarity (2) and reconciliation (3). "All phenomena without exception, are polar in nature, treble in principle." (1) Thus, my protective device is two sided (one to reflect the curse, one to protect the user) and made of three-pointed sections, five in total. Horus, in his aspect of deity of protection, is also associated with the number five. So, green thing with two sides, three multiples in each of five sections = pretty danged protective, especially against ancient Egyptian curses!

So, five classes and one Hallows in, with a class, two Hallows, and two OWLs left to do in two weeks. YEEK!!