Gryffindor Crazy Train

Hello!

I know I have said this before, but one of the things I like about participating in the HPKCHC is that I have to actually finish a lot of projects every month.  Well, really just 1 each month, but I get a bit carried away with being a good team member, and try to CRAFT ALL THE THINGS.

In Gryffindor, my house for this term, we have an award called "The Crazy Train."  There are actually a few awards associated with this idea, but the main two are:

Hermione's Challenge:  Complete detention and one class and turn both in on the first day of the month. 

Monthly Challenge:  Turn in four classes by the 10th of the month.

This month, I finished both challenges.  I am definitely riding the Crazy Train.

For detention, I finished one of my squares, In Treble designed by the talented Julie Yeager (JulieAnny),  for the 2012BAMCAL group.   I had made my first version early in October,

but I didn't really like the way I did the color changes, so I put off making my second square.  I finally hooked it at the end of the month, saving the weaving in for November 1, so it could be my detention turn in.  I have learned to get one project a-l-m-o-s-t finished, so I can quickly bind off, or weave in, or whatever, on the first day of the new month to get detention out of the way.  Anyway, I like this version of the square much better:

Ancient Runes

The prompt for Ancient Runes this month was really easy for me.  One of the 3 choices given was to craft with yarn or fiber containing a minimum of 50% cellulose based fiber (plant fiber).  Cotton!  I simply knit up a quick washcloth for my Christmas gift collection,

and presto, I was officially on the train with Hermione's Challenge completed.

The prompts for the classes are usually pretty broad, so if you think a bit, you can usually fit what you wanted to make anyway into a class.  Since I am hooking blocks every month for my two afghans, I try to fit these into the class assignments.  This is the easiest way for me to finish classes.  I am still a slow knitter, so I try to knit some of the assignments, but I can usually finish crocheted projects faster.

Herbology

Our Herbology class all Fall has dealt with the subjet of Wands and Wandwood.  This month we studied the idea that since wands have a core, there is something "hidden" inside them, and the prompt dealt with crafting something with a hidden picture or image using 2 or more yarns.  I think the idea was to do illusion knitting, which I want to try, but I doubt I could finish anything in 1 month.  I decided to hook a 4-square of the Diagonal Box Square by SmoothFox.

The hidden picture is the square in the center which is only revealed when all four squares are sewn together.

History of Magic

The HoM prompt dealt with spirit animals.  One suggestion was to find a way to incorporate leftover yarn in a project.  I thought of hooking a square with lots of color changes, and turning it in for this choice.  But, instead I chose the third idea:  Embrace a Power Animal.  Open yourself to nature and look for signs that a power animal is trying to make itself known to you.  Craft something to A. Represent this animal or B. Represent how you might follow the guidance this animal is trying to impart.  I looked up spirit and power animals, and decided that I could use the Orca.  I turned in my Red, White, Blue Shining Star Square ,  designed by Amelia Beebe, with this explanation (or something close to this): 

"The Orca is the Creator of the cosmos  having the ability to convert raw matter into stars, planets, etc.  The orca also can seal soul fissures and energy leaks.  The star in the center represents the cosmos that the Orca created, with the color changes showing the brilliance of the star in the cosmos.  The square will be a part of a blanket that will seal in heat, or energy loss."

Potions

The final project I turned in on November 10, firmly securing my seat on the Crazy Train, was another Shining Star Square, this one in Blue, Blue and White (for the afghan for Pookie).

The Potions Class prompt dealt with color, asking us to either 1. craft something using two colors opposite each other on the color wheel, or black and white.  2. craft something using different shades of a single color, creating something monochromatic. or 3. craft something using a split complementary color scheme, a color and the two colors beside the color opposite the original. 

See, right there... I had no idea what a "split complementary color scheme" was.  So cool.  But, I decided that my Blue, Blue, White shining star square fit option 2, so that is what I turned in.

There you have it, 4 completed classes and detention all turned in.

That's all for tonight.
Stay safe and well.
Yours,

f1bercat
shaping the planet from the Crazy Train.

Taco Tuesday (as reported on Thursday)

Hello!

No Eastside Stitchers today as I am still down in Southern California helping out at my brother's house.  I miss my stitch buds!  Hello, everyone.  Can't wait to see what you are all stitching.

 Life

On Tuesday night, my sister, S, invited me out for her regular "Taco Tuesday" group.  Normally this group of friends meets at various taco restaurants around North Orange County for ... Tacos!  It is a very informal group, and they just have fun.

This week was different because they didn't actually go out to eat tacos, but headed down to Balboa Bay.


View Larger Map

This narrow bay is lined with gorgeous houses and shops,

 and has all of these islands that just extend the number of possible houses.  Many celebrities live there.

There are tons of sail boats and yachts docked all over.

It was just lovely.

We rented a small boat, the Knot So Fast,

and spent 2 hours just moseying around, enjoying the sunset

and eating a delicious picnic dinner.

HPKCHC

I have been working hard on my class assignments for the Harry Potter Knitting/Crochet House Cup. Or, I could say that I have been working on stuff that I already had planned to make, and am searching for class assignments that these things might fit.

What I do every month is make a list of the class prompts, then note possible projects that will fit.  For instance, for Herbology, the prompt deals with wands again.  This time, we are learning what types of magical animals provide the core materials that the wandwood we studied last month wraps around.  There are 2 prompts:  Make some crazy hybrid project, or do some cozy "from-the-core" crafting.  The second one is easy for me.  If I make an afghan square, that is definitely a "go-to" craft for me.  So any of the squares I need to make for my 2 afghans I am making for the 2012BAMCAL will work for this class.

So far I have finished both of the main 12 in. squares.  This month the square is Winterslace by Teresa Kohlhoff, and published in HeartmadeBlessings.

The next project I've started, and then had to restart after I just could not get the first filler square, In Treble by Julie Yeager, JulieAnny on Ravelry, to go from round to square.  Then I realized that I had hooked a 5 point star instead of a 6 point in the VERY FIRST ROUND.  Why is counting so difficult.  So no photos yet of this one, but just you wait. It is absolutely gorgeous.  I might turn it in to History of Magic class.  One of the options includes crafting an item to represent the ability to recognize the Fae or Fairy Folk (Seelie) of Scotland in all their exquisite glamour.  I'm hoping that I can sell a beautiful square as recognition of beauty.


I have cast on the second socks for my OWL, the Bubbly Socks by VeryBusyMonkey for Lily Potter.  I'm calling them "Lily's Potion Socks."  These are being knit in the Aussi Sock by Oasis Yarn in Amethyst.  I've finished the cuffs and am starting the pattern.  This is my first pair of symmetrical patterned socks.  I hope that I can keep the charts straight!

The other project is of course my Mobius Cowl, the pattern is Easy Mobius Cowl by Haley Waxberg,  for Pookie.  This is being knit by holding 2 balls of the gorgeous Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend together.

It is very fast and easy, so I am not working too much on it as I want to finish up the afghan squares and get a good start on the socks.

I will find a class for this project, also.  One idea that I have is for Muggle Studies.  In this class, we are studying muggle pets, particularly DOGS.  Ha!  So, one option is to craft something for a dog.  I think I can sell a mobius cowl as a dog collar for a large dog, a very fashionable large dog.  We shall see.

Stay safe and well.
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with lots of work to do.