Selena Starfire, Hogwarts Knitter

Loony about my kit!

2010-06-22T22:09:00.002-05:00

Yesterday's, Athena the Owl brought a fascinating box:

Do you think there's anything for dogs inside?

Could there be something for me? It's my package from Perenelle!

She based my package on Luna Lovegood, so she sent this beautiful Ravenclaw bag. I often think I'm more Ravenclaw than Hufflepuff, and I'm a little surprised the Sorting Hat has never moved me. So now I can acknowledge my Ravenclaw side, and maybe using this bag will make me smarter.

The rest of the package was great - I'm sure Luna would love it, and the VeryBadDogs loved part of it. she sent a teleidoscope, to help see the world through Luna's eyes. There's a pattern for Luna socks, some Sunshine yarn (infested with Nargles, I fear, but still lovely), and some short needles, which I'm eager to try. She sent two other bags - a strawberry shaped one for collecting gurdyroots, and a cute yellow one to go with Luna's dress robes. She also sent a dishtowel from her Muggle home, and some treats for my Fantastic Beasts. There's tea, and a pretty tin, and a special issue of the Quibbler - such a great package!

Thank you, Perenelle! And the dogs say thank you, too!

Almost Over

2010-06-19T23:43:00.001-05:00

Wow, it's hard to believe the term is almost over.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, so I haven't had much time to get things done. But Tuesday was my birthday, and that was great! We had cake at my knitting night, and my husband got me a fabulous present - a Spinning Wheel! It needs a little help to get it up and running, but pretty soon I'll be spinning like magic.

Tempus Fugit

2010-06-05T20:49:00.003-05:00

It's not a spell, just a statement. This term seems to have flown by!

I seem to be way behind in my work, but I'm sure I'll catch up. This week I taught several friends to knit, so now I have some encouragement.

The good part is that it looks like summer is finally here - lots of time to sit outside and knit. Lots of distractions, too - I have rhubarb-apple crumble in the oven right now. Summer is a tasty season!

Quidditch recap

2010-05-28T20:02:00.003-05:00

Quidditch last week was a disappointment. A lot of fun, but a disappointment. We lost to the Slytherins, 50-180. I scored two goals, and was seconds away from a third when one of the Slytherins found the Snitch.

I still have the goal-scoring balls, and the spare. I'm not sure what to do with them, but they've been fun to play with. They're stuffed with scraps from the big Transfiguration project I've been working on, which I need to write about sometime.

It was a nice evening for a game. As luck would have it, I had a last-minute work assignment (I secretly investigate Muggle businesses to make sure they're doing everything right), so I had a quick dinner and then settled down outside to knit. It was a beautiful night, and the sunlight held out through the entire match - although I might have started to worry if it hadn't ended when it did. The VeryBadDogs were by my side, acting as mascots.Our captain was great, and really kept everyone together in the game. We were short a Beater so my friend from the fall Quidditch league, Gryphon the Great, came over to help us out. It was great to get to play with him, and he was an amazing Beater!

I don't know if I'll get to play in the next match or not, but I hope we win this time!

Quidditch

2010-05-20T13:34:00.003-05:00

Hufflepuff's second Quidditch match is coming up this weekend, and I'm playing Chaser for the very first time! I'm so nervous. I've been trying to rest and get ready for the match, and tomorrow I'll check all my equipment to make sure it's in order. I really hope I manage to score some goals for the team.

Something Funny

2010-05-15T10:02:00.003-05:00

Apparently this is the week for jokes in our common room - even our Head Girl is encouraging us to come up with something funny. I've been sick all week, so I'm not nearly as good at funny as I might normally be. But here's the best I have:
How big is my Wingspan? As big as an Owl, apparently, but not as big as a goose. I'm glad I have a broom, and don't have to depend on my arms to fly!

Or how about this? Which witch is best to have around when you're hungry? A SAND-wich!

O.W.L.s Practice

2010-05-08T10:17:00.000-05:00

So I decided to practice my O.W.L.s - so far, so good!

Harry Potter Quiz from Dumb Spot!
Celebrity Quizzes & Teen Quizzes
Questions, Answers, Trivia, Fun

A Quiet Week

2010-04-30T16:24:00.003-05:00

It's been a quiet week in Hufflepuff House for me.

I was excited to hear the we won the Quidditich game on Saturday! I stopped by the Pitch when I had a break in the day, thinking I could at least cheer for Hufflepuff, but it was already over. I hope I can do as well when I play the next match....my needles are all warmed up and ready to go.

I wasn't at the match because I was helping out at an SCA event, sort of a fancy-dress party for Muggles. One of my knitting friends devised most of the recipes, and it was a great meal. We had ham pie, and bread pudding, and all sorts of other treats. Unfortunately, we also had a whole bunch of rain, so it wasn't as long or as fun a day as we would have liked. The good part of that is that we've spent several days this week enjoying leftovers from the lunch.

I had another bit of good news - I have a job for the fall. I'll be teaching History of Sport at a local college. No Quidditch, though - this is strictly a Muggle program. I have a lot to learn by then!

The rest of the week has been a little less fun. An accident while playing with the dogs left me sort of beat up, and I had to see a Muggle doctor instead of Madam Pomfrey. So I had to get "shots," and have pills to take - if you don't know the details of Muggle medicine, trust me, you don't want to! But I'm healing nicely, I hope.

Now I'm just trying to get some knitting finished. Tomorrow we go to celebrate a friend's upcoming wedding, and I need to conjure up an appropriate gift by then. We're about to get some bad thunderstorms, so I hope the power doesn't go out, because I need the light for knitting.

The Weekend

2010-04-22T17:09:00.005-05:00

We're supposed to blog this week about what we did over the weekend. I'm afraid mine won't be a very cheerful post, as I was at a funeral.

My husband's grandfather passed away last week. He was 90 years old, which suddenly seems much too young.

I never knew my own grandfathers - one died years before I was born, and the other one soon after. My husband has been lucky enough to have three living grandparents, and for the last 10 years, I did too.

The first time I met him at a family gathering, we didn't really get to the introduction part. He saw us walk up and said "Hi, I'm the grandpa, give me a kiss." He really liked being the grandpa. I was rather shocked to see some of the little kids getting into the beer cooler - until I found out they were all fetching and carrying for Grandpa.

He thought of himself as Irish, and was proud of it. So I earned my spot in the family (and maybe my Santa cookies at Christmas) with this joke:

There was an old Irish priest who was just a bit too vocal in his dislike of the English. It got so bad that the Bishop had to talk to him, explain that there's a peace agreement now, and ask him to stop being so anti-English in his services. The priest agreed, promising not to mention England again.

The next Sunday was Easter, and all seemed to be going well. The old priest was moving along without a mention of England, telling the story of the Last Supper:

"...and the Lord said to them, 'take this bread and eat, it is my body...'"
"...and the Lord said, 'take this cup and drink, it is my blood...'"
"...and the Lord said unto them, "one of you will betray me."
"...and the Lord said, "Judas!"

"and Judas said, "blimey, gov'nor, you don't think it's me?"

May Grandpa Tom rest in peace, in a field of shamrocks.

Which Harry Potter Character Am I?

2010-04-16T14:31:00.000-05:00

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?

Hermione

Youâ€™re book smart, moral and cool under pressure. You love learning and showing others what you know. Youâ€™re way more mature than those around you, and you always seem to know whatâ€™s best.

Fun quizzes, surveys & blog quizzes by

Another Transfiguration Project

2010-04-10T23:25:00.003-05:00

Some of my classmates have been so industrious that I thought I should try to get in a little more Transfiguration practice. So I took on a second project - perhaps the most challenging of all - making a Golden Snitch.

Gamp's Law is a little unclear on the subject, but you really conjure a Snitch as much as you Transfigure it. You have to start with something, but what you start with is the fuzzy, fundamental stuff of the universe.

The actual incantation for creating a Snitch is something that probably shouldn't be discussed in such a public forum. But if you've never seen it happen before, I can tell you that it requires a special, very small, wand.

And here is my finished Snitch, the first one I've ever tried to make. It doesn't seem to be a perfect Transfiguration, so I hope if I try again I can make the next one look neater. If you look at the picture closely, you can still see some fuzzy stuff around the Snitch. I'm not sure if that's because of an incomplete Transfiguration, or if it's from the dogs. Even if there is some fuzzy substance drifting around, I think I've come a long way from the time I accidentally turned part of myself into an ocelot.

Transfiguration

2010-04-08T19:23:00.004-05:00

If you remember my previous terms at Hogwarts, you know that Transfiguration isn't my best subject. So I was more than a little nervous when we got a Transfiguration project for our first big homework assignment of the year. I think it's worked out, though.

First, we're supposed to post an originality marker, so everyone knows that we're actually there transfiguring the thing. This is mine.

Next, I need a picture of the thing I'm going to transfigure. So I went rummaging around in the pantry and found these:

Then you cast the spell. This is the one I used.

And here's the Transfigured object!

I Transfigured the kitchen stuff into rock cakes, just like Hagrid makes. I had to go looking for the proper spell because, being American, I'd never heard of rock cakes before Hogwarts. They're a lot like our biscuits (but not Hogwarts biscuits). The spell says that there's a joke that even dogs don't like rock cakes, but I can tell you that's not true. My dogs love rock cakes.

I'm a little worried that I crossed some spells, and got a Disappearing Charm in there somehow. I just transfigured the rock cakes, and more than half of them are already gone.

Back for Round 10

2010-04-02T17:06:00.000-05:00

After summer camp and a lively round of Quidditch, we're back at Hogwarts again!

It seems like the faculty come up with something new every year as a way for us to get to know one another. This year, we're supposed to focus on three famous residents of Hogwarts, and explain what we like about them. So here are mine:

1. Luna Lovegood. I like that Luna's smart, and that she doesn't really think about being smart. It seemed only natural to her that you'd be happy to learn something new, even if it means you're locked out of your common room. I think it's fun that she makes her own jewelry, and paints her bedroom walls. I also really like that she's independent, and willing to go her own way.

2. Tonks. Tonks is just plain cool. Wouldn't it be great to change your face any way you wanted to? And, while I'm happily married, I kind of with her having the hots for Professor Lupin, as he's on my "easy on the eyes" list.

3. Nearly Headless Nick. He may be my strangest choice. I like Nick because I do medieval re-enactment, and Nick saw the Middle Ages (albeit not just the good parts) up close and personal. I also think John Cleese is great.

It's so hard to pick favorites at Hogwarts, but that will have to do for a start. I think it's going to be a fun term!

Early Christmas Goodies!

2009-12-24T11:12:00.000-06:00

Christmas came early in my house (even though I'm posting this late), with a fabulous package of Quality Quidditch Supplies from Gryphon the Great, of the Pride of Portree!

Just look at all of the great stuff Gryphon sent! There's a bag for all of my Quidditch gear, patterns and yarns for a dog-themed hat and gloves, treats for me, treats for the VeryBadDogs (which I think were homemade, and which we had to put up pretty quickly to prevent them all being devoured at once), and two nifty sculputures - a hedgehog with hairbrush bristles (perhaps a Transfiguration project?) and a dragon.

Here's a better look at the bag, with its Appleby Arrows logo. It has a nicely reinforced handle (I can't tell if that's from the stitch, or if he's added something) and is lined in bright purple. It's going to get a lot of use as a project bag, even when I don't have Quidditch matches to go to.

And here's the dragon. Gryphon recommended that the dragons get "G" names, so his name is Gordy. I haven't figured out what the hedgehog's name is yet, but I'm sure I'll know soon.

Thank you, Gryphon, for a wonderful package of magical supplies!

More Holidays

2009-11-28T21:41:00.000-06:00

We had a fun Thanksgiving with the Muggles, and now it's time to get ready for Christmas. It's another thing that's much harder without magic - but we're trying to make things look as enchanted as possible, without giving anything away.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T23:32:00.000-06:00

Wow, time's going by fast. We're about to head off for Thanksgiving with the Muggle family. This means no Quidditch for awhile - instead, they watch "football," a popular Muggle sport. It looks much more dangerous than Quidditch, but they seem to like it.

I've been unlucky here at home. I was making something for my friend from Pride of Portree - and I made two left mittens! My Transfiguration spells don't seem to be up to fixing one magically, and it doesn't seem right to ask her to switch one of her hands, even if it would help our side in the Quidditch matches. So I guess I'm going to have to start over and knit a new one. It's a good thing I bought plenty of yarn.

The Headmistress's Travels

2009-11-07T21:30:00.001-06:00

It seems that this week our beloved Winnie is in North America. She started in Mexico City, then headed to Chile, and Brazil. I'm still not sure what she's doing, but I hope she's having fun!

And this week?

2009-10-30T23:34:00.001-05:00

This week's a challenging one. I'm inclined to guess Carthage. But popular opinion is that she was in Queerditch Marsh, the site of the first Quidditch game, and that then she headed to Appleby - where she's enjoying some quiet time because there's nothing to do there. I have to disagree with that last bit - since Appleby is home to a fine Quidditch team! She could always come and watch our practices.

Where's Winnie this week?

2009-10-23T23:53:00.001-05:00

The weeks are going by pretty fast - but not as fast as our headmistress gets around! She seems to have started her week at Larnach Castle, in New Zealand, and then she headed off to Quebec to look for maple syrup. Her Apparation skills are amazing, aren't they? I'm lucky to be able to travel accurately between home and Hogsmeade. I wonder if there's any maple syrup left in Quebec? It's all sold out for the season around here.

Muggle Job Hunting

2009-10-19T14:32:00.000-05:00

I'm afraid there's no Quidditch news today, but I have an exciting development in my Muggle Relations effort - I've applied for a job!

It's as a blogger, and it would be my job to offer all sorts of suggestions to help people maintain a good mood. Of course, I couldn't suggest any specific spells, but maybe I could use a few magical ideas to help Muggles. After all, a lot of the fun we have here doesn't involve any specific magic - just friends and good times.

Would you vote for me, please? You could vote every day, until Halloween. If I'm one of the top 20 vote-getters I'll be able to submit a more detailed application - and then it will be time to bring in all of the lucky charms!

Don't worry, I wouldn't use felix felicis. I'm sure that would be a violation of all sorts of magical laws. But I could use your good wishes!

Shuntbumping

2009-10-19T00:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our first Shuntbumping match of the season! I was so excited! But, it didn't work out very well.

Our pattern was to be released very early in the morning - 8 am, I believe. I had no intention of being awake that early on a Saturday, but I hoped that my opponent was a reasonably-minded person who would also be asleep. I think she was, but it didn't help.

It also didn't help that we wound up spending a good part of the day making cider. That was a lot of fun, but it meant I wasn't doing any knitting. I didn't get a chance to start until about 5:00 in the afternoon - so I checked the competition standings, saw my opponent hadn't posted yet, and decided to start.

And then started again. I wasn't happy with the fabric I was getting on the Size 7 needles, so I decided to step down. But then somehow it also seemed like a good idea to work a circular needle instead of dpns, which meant I had to scale up to the medium size in order to fit the needle. I'm afraid I wasn't really excited by the hat pattern, so I thought a bigger hat might be a more practical gift.

After I had picked my yellow and orange yarn, I realized I had candy corn colors. So I decided to add in some white, hoping that the large stripes would speed up my work.

Once I started knitting, I went as fast as I could. I only took two breaks - once for dinner, and once to get my homework done. I wish I'd been able to do the homework earlier.

Just before midnight, I finished the hat, photographed it, and rushed to post it. Only to discover that my noble opponent, Ginny Lockheart, beat me by 27 minutes. I'm sad to lose, and even sadder that I skipped dessert to knit, and still lost. But I'm glad that Ginny's an Arrow, so I'll be able to cheer her on in the next round!

And I have a hat. I'm not sure how happy I am about that, because it doesn't look really good on me, and the third round of decreases gives it an awfully funny-looking tip. But we're having fun trying to decide who really needs a candy corn hat, so perhaps it will come in perfectly handy sooner or later. And now I can get back to my regularly scheduled knitting - and to Quidditich! Arise, Arrows!

Where's Winnie this week?

2009-10-18T00:16:00.000-05:00

Our Headmistress is away from Hogwarts this term. While we're playing Quidditch, it seems she's in London, visiting the Ministry of Magic. I wonder where she'll wind up next?

Gathering Intelligence

2009-10-14T23:46:00.000-05:00

Now it's time for the real work to begin. Our captain wants us to gather intelligence about the other players - and the other teams are doing the same thing. So I'm supposed to find people that fit each of these things - and then introduce myself, and get to know them a bit. It's all in the name of friendship and good sportsmanship - but I'm sure knowing what we're up against won't hurt. So here's the list:

Someone with the same craft as you (either those listed above or another one). Intarsia Bindoff does a whole collection of needlecrafts, like me.
Someone who was born in the same month: Saraid Swiftrunner was also born in June.
Someone from a different country. The Arrows' own Emma Wigworthy is from England.
A new HSKS Quidditch player. Stewlla Quinn, of the Wanderers
A player who has been in 3 or more HSKS swaps. Siobhan Mooney, of the Montrose Magpies
A player who has a bigger stash than you! (And if your stash is the biggest, proudly say so!): Megaera Black has a HUGE stash. I wonder if that means I need more yarn?
A player who both knits and crochets. Ambyr Phoenixfyre likes to do both.
Someone who has the same favorite color as you. Lily May Clearwater likes blue, and also green and purple. It's a good thing we're flying for Appleby!

With that done, we're supposed to say hello through blog or project comments. So, I discovered Lily May's awesome Slythering Snakes. Amber made some fun Candy Corn bags, and Megaera has made a nifty dishcloth in a pattern I haven't seen before. Captain Siobhan's cute crocheted fish will get a place on my to-do list, once I've finished something for my spoilee, and gotten through Round 1 of Shuntbumping. Our newcomer, Stewlla, has adorable dogs, and she's made a lacey little headband that looks like a great way to use leftovers. Emma's responsible for a whole collection of fabulous wizardy designs, but my favorite has to be the Hufflepuff Socks. Saraid doesn't have any projects on Ravelry yet, but I'm sure she will. She's in the Canadian Air Force, which sounds extremely interesting - I hope she can give the team some flying pointers! And Intarsia is into amigurumi, so she has several cute projects, including this adorable little snake.

Thanks to my fellow Quidditch players, I've certainly added a lot of projects to my wish list. My teammates and opponents are incredibly talented!

Help with homework

2009-10-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

Wow, the season's off to a quick start. We already have our first homework assignment!

It's going to be a tricky one to do, so I'll post a bit about me to help everyone else (especially my teammates!) along:

Crafts I do: Knitting, some crochet, needlework, sewing, lampworking, origami
Month I was born: June
Country: USA
New to Quidditch? Nope!
# of HSKS Swaps: this is my fifth. I did #5, #6, #7, and summer camp
Stash size: Ravelry says I have 74 yarns in my stash. There are more, I'm sure!
Both knits and crochets: Yep, that's me. But I don't crochet as much as I knit.
Favorite color: Blue, followed by green and purple

So now I'll get down to doing my own homework - soon, anyway.

Takeoff!

2009-10-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

Quidditch is under way!

I've received my assignment - I'll be spoiling Madam Ferula McGonagall, of the Pride of Portree. And I'll be cheered on this term by Gryphon the Great, also of the Pride.

I'd thought this was going to be an easy swap, because I thought I already had a good stash of yarn in most of the team colors. But it seems I've already used some of the yarn for other projects. Or perhaps I've misplaced it, but given the state of my craft storage room (and the bats - did I mention the bats?) I'm not sure how likely I am to find it. Fortunately, my new village boasts three yarn stores, so I shouldn't have any trouble finding Quality Quidditch Supplies.

Hi, Ferula and Gryphon! I can't wait for the first match!

Wish List

2009-10-08T14:44:00.000-05:00

Just like Muggle sports leagues, our first week of Quidditch practice seems to involve a lot of paperwork. I've gotten registered, been assigned my team (yeah, Appleby Arrows!!!), and now we're supposed to post a wish list. So here it goes:

Favorite colors: Blues, purples, greens - cool colors. Also jewel tones.
Favorite scents: Lilac, violet, spices, cool scents
Favorite yarn brands: Fleece Artist, Lorna's Laces
Favorite yarn types (wool, cotton, etc.): I prefer 100% wool for my socks, but use the blends when I like the colors. I haven't done as much knitting with non-wool fibers, but I've never met a natural fiber I don't like.
Favorite types of snacks: Nuts, gummy bears, chick-o-stix, chocolate with mint or nuts, cheesy stuff.

Specify whether you knit or crochet or both: Mostly knitting, but I've done some crochet

Allergies: Cats and black olives

Wishlists: My Amazon.com wishlist, and my Bridal Registries. I didn't register for yarn, and I don't know how many housewares are good for quidditch (although we've beent talking about getting a new broom), but it's an easy link to a wishlist!

Add anything else that you think will help your spoiler out: Hmm...I like to read, a lot. Right now we're doing a lot of work on our Craftsman-era house, so I'm looking for decorating inspiration! I do lampworking, I cook, I like wine. I have two bad dogs. I think it's fun to learn about other places, and stuff other people like. And I love gadgets!

Quidditch

2009-10-05T12:06:00.000-05:00

You won't believe this - I just signed up for a Quidditch league! I can't wait to find out what team I'm on!

What a care package!

2009-08-26T16:22:00.000-05:00

It's always nice to get mail at camp. No matter how much fun you're having, you miss family and friends, so it's nice to know they're thinking of you. And it's really nice to get a care package with some goodies to make camp more fun.

Yesterday was really, REALLY nice! I got back to my cabin to find a package waiting for me, from Cassandra in Hinkypunks.

I wondered why Oscar was so interested in a care package for me, but that became obvious when I opened it. Not only did Cassandra send all sorts of lovely things for me, but she even remembered the VeryBadDogs!

Here's a better picture to let you see everything. I can't believe the dogs didn't notice I was taking this, but for once they stayed out of the way.

So, I get a kit for Potions class, to make some scented bath salts. Then there's a bonus Herbology project thrown in - yarn, needles, and a pattern for the Foliage hat. There are some buttons, including one that says "Mischief Managed" (Cassie has me pegged!) and a cute little bookmark that holds a photo.

Then there are these - some tiny little trial-size skeins of Harry Potter Opal yarn. I just love the mini skeins!

And I have to show you a picture of the pouch that holds the Potions ingredients - isn't it lovely? It's a little dark, but you can sort of see that the pouch is lined with the same funky fabric as is on the strap. I think it's handmade, although I'm not 100% sure - it's definitely beautiful work!

Thank you so much, Cassandra! Happy summer!

Iraqi Bundles of Love

2009-08-21T13:06:00.000-05:00

There's one thing all of us here at camp have in common - and have in common with a lot of Muggles - we all love to knit, and perhaps do other crafts, too.

Now imagine what it would be like if you couldn't get yarn. Or needles, or fabric, or anything else you needed. It turns out there are a lot of Muggles in that situation.

And there's a man who's trying to help some of them. An American serviceman in Iraq is collecting boxes of sewing and knitting supplies to distribute to Iraqis who need them. Because he's in the military, it's really cheap to send a box of stuff to him, so it's easy to de-stash and get things in the hands of people who will use them.

You can read all about it here. I'm having so much fun getting things together for my friend in Hinkypunks, that I'm going to make another package, for someone I don't even know. If you want to do the same thing, Mr. IBOL Guy is happy to tell you how to do it.

Dining with the Muggles

2009-08-14T00:57:00.000-05:00

I've heard that Muggles think some of our Wizard foods are kind of strange. I guess that's a little bit understandable, if they don't know, say, that there aren't any real frogs in Chocolate Frogs. And Every-Flavor-Beans are supposed to be weird, but maybe they don't like jokes with their food?

Or maybe they do. We were at the Indiana State Fair yesterday, and found all kinds of strange Muggle food.

Like corn dogs. It's not what you're afraid of - more like a sausage covered with dough. The corn-on-the-cob, though, was exactly what it claimed to be - and so good we couldn't take pictures, because our hands were covered with butter!

But what about this? This was a really bad idea. And a really bad pizza.

Or this? We didn't even try this. Muggle food usually doesn't move at all, but in this case I wonder if the pigs wallow around in the chocolate. If they do, then it sounds a lot like Chocolate Frogs - so it doesn't make sense for muggles to think our food is weird.

You know how Mr. Weasley says that Muggles have all sorts of clever substitutes for magic? That must be what they used here. I don't think this cake was enchanted at all, it's just really cleverly decorated.

But some things made me think Wizards might have been exhibiting at the Fair. Doesn't this look like it has to have been made by one of us?!?

Slow Days

2009-08-09T22:04:00.000-05:00

The counselors remind me that it's been awhile since I've written anything here, like I'm supposed to. That's true, but it's because there hasn't been much to write. I've hardly had any time for fun camp activities, because of all this Muggle moving stuff. Here is how my day goes:

Wake up. Way too early, because we don't have curtains yet.
Get dressed. In something totally random, because we can't put away clothes until we paint the bedroom.
Eat breakfast. Preferably something the ants haven't gotten.
Open boxes and put stuff away.
Move some heavy things - with no magic - to make more spaces to put stuff away.
Eat lunch. Something random, because we've combined two pantries and have to finish open things. Once again, no conjuring something else.
Open boxes and put stuff away.
Eat dinner. Usually take-out, because we're tired of random open things and too tired to cook. Of course, we're also tired of take-out.
Open boxes and put stuff away. Wonder what we've forgotten to move.

Throw in lots of dog-wrangling, and you have my day - any day. So there's nothing really exciting to report.

Tonight may not be so boring. We've been watching lightning for the past hour or so. The nearest storm is 100 miles away, so it's pretty amazing that we're getting such a show. I'm not sure if I'm hoping it gets closer or not!

Only One Chair

2009-07-28T21:56:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before that moving with Muggles is hard. You do it one thing at a time, for everything. All day. So you wind up spending some time without stuff you need, and you can't just conjure up replacements.

What happens when you have only one chair?

This.

The dogs love their new home. They've been running around checking out all the rooms, and just plain running around. They've already met some of the neighbors, and some of the neighbor dogs. I think they'll be quite happy.

Especially since they seem to get first dibs on all of the furniture. How does that happen, anyway?

Flying Without a Broom

2009-07-24T14:36:00.000-05:00

Traveling with Muggles is an eye-opening experience. Once you're actually married to one, there are just all sorts of things you have to get used to. The Muggles even have a television program about a witch who married a Muggle, but - and this is the good part - they think it's all made up!

So Muggles, you know, don't fly. Well, they say they're "flying" - but they mean riding in an airplane, which is much, much slower than Apparating or using the Floo Network. But Muggles are ingenious at coming up with substitutes for magic. And since they never get to ride on brooms, they've found something else.

It's called parasailing!

The whole thing was very sweet. Aaron's uncle (it's all Muggles in his family, but they're nice Muggles) came up to him at the reception. He said that there was something he and Aaron's aunt had wanted to do for their honeymoon, but didn't because they were trying to save money, and they always regretted it. So he gave Aaron some muggle money, and told him that if we came across something silly that we really wanted to do, we should do it.

So this is what we found - Muggle flying! I hope I'm not losing my Wizardy credentials for saying this, but it was really very fun. Keeping the International Statutes on Magical Secrecy might not be so bad, after all.

Games, Week 5, Part I

2009-07-20T23:26:00.000-05:00

Wow, this week's game is tricky. With moving and all, I don't know how much time I'll have to play. But I'll do my best.

Part I:

Fill in the answers to the clues by using all the syllables in the Syllable list. The number of syllables to be used in each answer is shown in parenthese. There may be more than one word in an answer. The number of leters in each answer is indicated by the dashes. Each syllable will be used only once. ONE (1) point will be awarded for each correct answer posted to your blog.

SYLLABLE LIST

1. Man or mouse? (4) AN/I/MA/GUS

2. Start spreading the news (4) DAI/LY PROPH/ET

3. Stick Tree Guardian (3) BOW/TRUCK/LE

4. Telescoping eavesdropper (5) EX/ TEND/A/BLE EAR

5. Brassicaceae danglers (4) RAD/ISH EAR/RINGS

6. Prohibited Ggowth of trees (5) FOR/BID/DEN FOR/EST

7. Metallic rosy-faced child with wings (4) GOL/DEN CHER/UB

8. Fleshless black-winged skeleton (2) THES/TRAL

9. Lofty philosopher (5) HIGH IN/QUI/SI/TOR

10. Instructive Order (7) ED/U/CA/TION/AL DE/CREE

Need a Yarn Niffler

2009-07-20T18:29:00.000-05:00

We're moving, and when you move with Muggles you can't use any magic at all! This makes it really, really hard to move - you can't even find where everything is unless you actually go and look.

For example, I think I've packed all my yarn. But I can't be sure, because a simple "Accio Yarn" would violate the International Statutes on Magical Secrecy, and then I'd have a lot more to worry about than just some misplaced yarn.

So I propose a contest. Guess how many balls of yarn I'll find before I'm done packing. Post your answer as a comment, and once I'm settled in I'll send off an owl with a small goodie to the person who's right.

Excused from Camp

2009-07-10T21:51:00.000-05:00

I haven't been playing hooky - I've been away from camp activities, but I have a really good excuse:

Anagrams

2009-06-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

It's time for another week of games - this one's anagrams, with something coming later. So here's my list for the first part:

In the second volume of the HP books by JK Rowling, The (#1)Chrome Cab Festers, we continue to learn the incredible adventures of Hogwarts student (#2) Parry He Trot and his friends (#3) Oral Weensy and (#4) Angering Her More. Belonging to the house of (#5) Dry Off Grin, they attend Defense Against the (#6) Ark Darts taught by Wizarding celebrity (#7) Oracle Dorky Light, a none-too-bright fellow who cannot even handle pixies!

In The (#8) Chrome Cab Festers, we also meet Dobby a (#9)See Flu Oh for the first time. Determined Dobby seeks to sabotage the return of (#10) Parry He Trot to Hogwarts and is pretty persistent but is unsuccessful. After a few weeks at school, the deceased Ravenclaw student who haunts the girls lavatory, also known as (#11) My Molten Grain, shows (#12) Parry He Trot and (#13) Oral Weensy an old empty diary that dropped through her ghostly form out of thin air!

Many nifty things continue to happen for the next several months… we won’t go into all the juicy details right now… however, the ending is prime reading indeed!! (#14) Parry He Trot finally kills Tom Riddle’s (a.k.a #15 Mold Voter) sneaky diary (which we now know is a #16 Crux Rho) and saves the sister of (#17) Oral Weensy, (#18) Gayly Nine Sew!!!

Oh! Of course, we must mention that the thickheaded (#19) Oracle Dorky Light unintentionally erased his own memory, so he won’t be back for book three, The (#20) Snob In A Froze Parka…

1. Chamber of Secrets
2. Harry Potter
3. Ron Weasley
4. Hermione Granger
5. Gryffindor
6. Dark Arts
7. Gilderoy Lockhart
8. Chamber of Secrets
9. House Elf
10. Harry Potter
11. Moaning Myrtle
12. Harry Potter
13. Ron Weasley
14. Harry Potter
15. Voldemort
16. Horcrux
17. Ron Weasley
18. Ginny Weasley
19. Gilderoy Lockhart
20. Prisoner of Azkaban

Three Truths and a Lie

2009-06-22T16:42:00.000-05:00

We're playing a cabin game called "Three Truths and a Lie." So guess which one of these things is not true about me:

1. I am three degrees of separation away from Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and Saddam Hussein.
2. I have never received a speeding ticket.
3. I used to be a penguin.
4. I can't hold my breath under water.

Camp Games

2009-06-20T23:05:00.000-05:00

I'm just slipping in under the wire here - but I wouldn't want to miss the camp games!

Part 1: What's In My Trunk?

Selena brought
a Sneakoscope
a Slinky
tasty Snacks
some Spare robes
a Succulent plant
new Socks
lots of Sock Yarn
vacation Souvenirs
a set of Stationery
Snake Repellent, just in case!

Part 2 - WINGO

I1 - Bevin Rae Mooney
I2 - Winifred Wartbobble
I3 - Hermione Bagnold (Edinburgh), or me (Tiberias, York, Budapest)
I4 - Bridget the Bloodthirsty (it's even the same day in June!)
I5 - Antonio de la Weasley

Part 3: Comments

I'm really impressed by Airica Lupin's Devil's Snare, and by Cassandra Crimsonchin's Starry Hairtamer.

Summer Camp!

2009-06-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

Wow, this is an exciting summer! For the first time ever, Hogwarts is doing a summer camp! So now we can all get together again, and not have to wait all summer to see wizard friends.

I can't complain about the summer, though. I've had a great time away from Hogwarts. I went on a vacation to the mountains with my Muggle fiance, and as you can see, I had to take pictures of everything! We're getting married soon, in a Muggle wedding, so it's nice to have camp to provide a break from all that Muggle stuff.

I can't wait to get started!

Owl's Arrival

2009-05-05T14:58:00.000-05:00

Madam Ferula Finnigan's owl dropped by, with a whole bag full of goodies for me!

Here's the bag...

...and here are the goodies!

There's a fabulous collection here - So I hope I remember to describe everything:

Two balls of Cascade 220, and some big needles for knitting something felted
A ball of pretty blue German sock yarn
A cute little bag, full of tea
A pretty note card, and some "Wizardry" stickers
Some candles, which smelled so lovely that I thought the lilacs on the other side of the house had been enchanted to become especially fragrant. Then I realized it was coming from the package on my doorstep!

AND this adorable little dragon.

Here's the owl responsible for the delivery. It's pretty impressive that such a little guy could carry such a big bag, isn't it?

I think it goes without saying that I'm enjoying the package - it's such a lovely collection! My doggies have had fun with it too, checking out the messages that Madam Ferula's kitties must have left for them. Their little noses were so glued to the bag that I could barely check it out myself!

Thank you, Ferula! See you at Summer Camp, I hope!

Transfiguration Trouble

2009-04-28T16:28:00.001-05:00

With the end of term quickly approaching, maybe it's not surprising that I got into a little trouble in Transfiguration yesterday. More than a little trouble, really.

It started out innocently enough - Professor McGonagall transformed herself into a cat again, just like she did at the beginning of the year. It's always exciting to see - so of course some mates and I started talking in the back of the classroom about such transfigurations. It would be soooooo neat to be an Animagus, wouldn't it?

There didn't seem to be any harm in trying. After all, remember that lesson with the toothpicks we were supposed to turn into needles? I tried and tried, but couldn't do anything but make the tip of my toothpick a little bit silver. But nobody got hurt and no major laws of spellwork were broken, so a little experimentation never hurt anyone, right? Now people are saying that I should have known better - that if I'm so weak at Transfiguration, maybe I shouldn't have been mucking around with humans and animals.

But it's the end of the semester, and we were having fun. So somehow it seemed like a good idea to try to turn myself into an Ocelot. Who wouldn't want to be an Ocelot?

So I was supposed to turn into this (notice all the spots on the arms):

But all I ever got was this:

And now I can't seem to go back! All day yesterday, and now today, I've been walking around half-ocelot, or somewhat less than half-ocelot, with a spotty arm. I suppose I should be glad that I only got that far, and didn't stay human but develop an urge to go hunt reptiles. Madam Pomfrey says she can't fix me, and that I will just have to gradually get back to human over time. So now I'm going to spend the rest of the term - and maybe even part of the summer - all ocelotty!

I told my Muggle friends about this, and they say it just looks like I had an accident with a garage door and a can of spray paint. Boy, that would be really embarrassing! At least with Transfiguration trouble I learned something, even if it's sort of a lesson in what not to do.

Calling Madam Pomfrey

2009-04-22T20:13:00.000-05:00

Ooohhh....my head.....

I have a terrible cold, and none of my spellwork is good enough to get rid of it. Here it is, almost sick, and I'm stuck sick in my room. I don't even want to go hang out in the common room, because I'm afraid it's catching.

I hope I feel better soon. There's so much to do, what with it being the end of term and all.

Does anyone know a good spell for colds?

Quidditch, Round 3

2009-04-14T18:32:00.001-05:00

Wow, this term has gone by fast! It's almost time for the last Quidditch match of the term. So here are my pre-Quidditch questions:

1. This “Harry Potter” character’s first name comes from Roman mythology. The mythological character’s twin brother is named Romulus. What is the Harry Potter character last name?

b. Lupin

2. Which “Harry Potter” character’s first name is the Roman equivalent of the Greed Goddess Athena?

c. McGonagall

3. In ‘Harry Potter’ World, this wizard has created the Philosopher’s Stone (called the Sorcerer Stone in the US). The historical figure from the 14th and 15th centuries was a scribe and a manuscript-seller who became famous as an alchemist. Who is this individual?

Nicholas Flamel

4. What is the first name of a character whose last name is the name of a Bulgarian leader from early 9th century who doubled the country’s territory?

c. Viktor

5. Which character’s name is the name of goddess in Indian mythology?

b. Patil

6. “Where the Wild Things Are” tells the story of Max, a young boy sent to bed without his supper for his wild antics. Who created this winner of the Caldecott Medal?

a. Maurice Sendak

7. What was NOT one of the unexpected defense mechanisms that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook encountered in their attempt to rob Gringotts?

a. The Flagrante Curse

8. What was Snape aiming at when he cut off George’s ear?

c. Another Death Eater’s wand hand

9. How much older than James was Lily? (Referring to Harry’s parents, not children).

d. 2 months

10. Food is one of the five exceptions to what magical law?

b. Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration

Picture Hunt

George

McGonagall

Patil

Where the Wild Things Are

Fiber Fair

2009-04-12T13:52:00.001-05:00

So today I'm writing to tell you that I'm not going to tell you much of anything.

I'll tell you where I was this weekend - at a Fiber Event.

I'll even tell you what I did - I walked around and bought some stuff.

But tell you what I bought? No way! I'm sure there's a Ssssneaky Sssslytherin out there who'd just love to know what sort of goodies I found, but she's going to have to be patient. But I assure you, there are goodies.

Want to see just a little bit? OK....

These are some of MY goodies. Sock yarn from Colortura Yarns, and some wonderful silk/wool yarn from Winterhaven Fiber Farm. I'm having lots of fun with my new yarn, and fun thinking about what I should share with my Slytherin friend.

But that's all I'm going to tell you.

Homework

2009-04-05T19:43:00.000-05:00

I should be knitting for my Muggle duel, but I suppose I can't ignore homework forever. There's a lot more than this in my "to-do" stack, but I'll start with the easier assignment first:

1. James Potter and his friends have nicknames for each other - give three names and who they belong to.

Padfoot - Sirius Black
Wormtail - Peter Pettigrew
Moony - Remus Lupin

2. What are the three Deathly Hallows?

The Invisibility Cloak
The Elder Wand/Deathstick
The Resurrection Stone

3. What are the four items that belong to the founders of the houses at Hogwarts?

Slytherin's Locket
Ravenclaw's Diadem
Hufflepuff's Cup
Gryffindor's Sword

4. What is the Hogwarts Motto?

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus - Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon

5. What is the Hogwarts school song (Book 1)?

Does it have a title? I think it's just the school song, which starts "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts..."

6. What does O.W.L. stand for?

Ordinary Wizarding Level

7. What exams do Hogwarts students take at the end of their 7th year?

Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests

8. What form does Snape's Patronus take?

A doe, because of Lily Potter

9. Who takes over teaching divination after Trelawney is sacked by Delores Umbridge (Book 6)?

Firenze, a centaur

10. Who is Elanor Cadogan's boyfriend? What is his brother's name?

Elanor's boyfriend is the very fetching Dean, and his brother is Sam.

More Muggle Dueling

2009-03-31T14:01:00.001-05:00

Since I'm doing it again, I should write about it again - Dueling With The Muggles.

This is a different group of Muggles, and a different group of things to knit - instead of hats, it's socks. The Muggles call it Sock Madness. For those of you who are interested in Things Muggles Do, the "Madness" part comes from "March Madness," which is the big tournament (sort of like the Quidditch World Cup, but every year, and only for Americans) for Basketball. "Basketball" is a Muggle sport that's a little like Quidditch, but with only one ball, and no brooms - it's kind of complicated to explain.

Anyway, at least the socks are easy - or it's easy to explain what a sock is. It's not so easy to knit them, and that's kind of the point. The socks are hard to knit (and get harder), but you have to knit them faster than everyone else in your division. I finished these socks in just five days - and without any magic!

Knitting without magic is hard. These socks were from the second round of last year's Sock Madness, and I've only now finished them. Obviously, I didn't do so well then - but I'm hoping I'll make it to Round 3 this time around!

I have to let you in on a secret - I had just a little bit of magical help. Since it was in the privacy of my own room, I think it's OK - no worries about violating the International Statute of Secrecy or anything.

Besides, Oscar really wanted to help. Since he's part Niffler, he likes to burrow through things and find stuff. So it made perfect sense for him to help me dig through my trunks and pick out sock yarn. These are the ones he found for Round 1, and the choices turned out to be good, since I finished my sock. Now he's helping me get ready for Round 2, which begins on Saturday. I'm almost as excited about it as I am about Quidditch!

Surprise!

2009-03-29T09:25:00.001-05:00

I had a real surprise yesterday morning when an owl dropped off a package for me! I don't tend to move very fast in the morning, so it's a good thing it was a squishy package...and squishy packages are usually good.

This one was - it was yarn! From "Elanor" - maybe Elanor Cadogan? The owl didn't look familiar at all. I think it's a prize for doing homework, but I'm not completely sure.

Whatever it is, it's lovely yarn, and it made my day happy! The day got even happier when my fiance dropped by for a visit - he was on a trip for his Muggle school, and wound up nearby. Two great surprises in a day! Thank you, Elanor!

I'm not even putting the yarn away, because I may need it soon. I'm in the middle of Sock Madness, which is sort of like Dueling Club, but mostly involves Muggles. You have to knit socks very, VERY fast, and since Muggles are playing I can't even use magic! But I'll try to write more about that later.

Quidditch, Round Two

2009-03-15T15:04:00.000-05:00

Wow, I've been really bad about posting lately. Nothing has been going right, especially knitting-wise, so I just haven't had anything exciting to say. But that should change - it's almost time for our next Quiddtich match! There's always excitement when there's Quidditch!

So here are my Quidditch Questions, or at least some of them. I might have to go back and fill in some blanks later:

Trivia

1. On which day did the Order of the Phoenix come to get Harry?
a. Tuesday
b. Sunday
c. Saturday
d. The day of his 17th birthday

2. During all this chaos with voldemort and the Death Eaters, people still had lives to live and Ron's oldest brother, Bill decided to marry Fleur Delacour? Who were the uninvited guests at Bill and Fleur's wedding?

b. Death Eaters

3. Voldemort had seven Horcruxes hidden in different places. Six of them were hidden at the Gaunt shack, Hogwarts, a cave, inside Harry, inside his snake, Nagini and Tom Riddles Diary. Did Voldemort hide the last Horcrux inside the Malfoy's vault at Gringotts?

b. No

4. Why did the Dumbledore's move to Godric's Hollow?

c. The father went to Azkaban

5. Harry and Hermione read a part of "Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore," written by Rita Skeeter. Then they met Dumbledore's brother Abeforth and he told them the same story, just with a few details changed. Which of the following did Aberforth and Rita Skeeter agree on about Dumbdore's past?
a. Why the Dumbledore family moved to Godric's Hollow
b. That Dumbledore was friends with Grindelwald for a while.
c. Why nobody outside the family noticed Ariana much.
d. The reason for Dumbledore's father's imprisonment in Azkaban.

6. When Harry and Hermione visit Godric's Hollow, they visit the graveyard to see Harry's parent's graves. Harry walks by a tombstone that we later learn belong to tone of "The Three Broother'. The brother buried there once owned what?
a. The ressrection stone
b. The cloak
c. The wand
d. The sword

7. The Trio finds out that Luna had been kidnapped by the Death Eaters , and that they won't give her back until they got Harry Potter. Why did they kidnap Luna?
a. Her father sided with Harry and Dumbledore
b. They though he would come to her rescue
c. She was a muggleborn
d. Her father failed as a Death Eater

8. After Voldemort killed Snape, he left the room and Harry came out from under the cloak. Snape gave Harry some of his memories all the way from when he was a child to just months before. Harry dived into the Pensieve and which of the following did he not see?

c. Snape and Lily having fun in a potions class

9. On the search of the Lost Diadem, Harry finally gets to takl to the Gray Lady. Who was the Gray Lady when she was alive?

c. Helena Ravenclaw.

10. Which of these is not one of Harry or Ron's children?
a. Rose
b. Hugo
c. James
d. Victoria

Picture Scavenger Hunt
These pictures must either be posted to your blog or linked to from your blog.

Lily

Ron

Snape

Luna

Godric's Hollow

Quidditch, Round 1

2009-02-19T16:32:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's almost time for the first Quidditch match of the term! I think I'll be able to play tomorrow, although I'm not sure it will do much good. I had a ton of beginner's luck when I first tried Quidditch, but since then I haven't caught a single Snitch, nor even helped my House find one. So I guess the Quidditch prep is the least I can do:

1. What momentous event was the reason that the members of the Order of the Phoenix felt it necessary to move Harry out of the Dursley’s house?
d. Harry’s upcoming birthday

2. Who revealed the actual date of Harry’s transfer to Voldemort, despite the misinformation the Order had been spreading around that the move would occur on the eve of his actual birthday?
b. Snape

3. With the use of Polyjuice Potion (and to confuse any possible attack by Death Eaters), six member of the Order were disguised as Harry and escorted out of Privet Drive, along with the real Harry. Which member of the order did not survive that night?
a. Mad-Eye Moody

4. Who informed Harry, Ron and Hermione of the bequests left to them in Dumbledore’s will?
d. Rufus Scimgeour

5. During the wedding celebration for Bill and Fleur, Kingley Shacklebolt sent a Patronus to tell the guests that the Ministry had fallen, Scrimgeour (the Minister) was dead and the wedding celebration was about to be attacked by Death Eaters. What form did the Patronus take?
a. A lynx

6. Escaping from the wedding to London, our three friends found themselves confronted by a pair of Death Eaters, disguised as workmen. This close brush impressed on them the need to find someplace to hide. Where did they decide to go?
b. Sirius Black’s house

7. Kreacher’s animosity towards Harry, Ron and especially Hermione (a Mudblood) was well documented in book five, “The Order of the Phoenix.” His initial interaction with them showed that his attitude had not changed. How did they win him over?
d. By giving him Regulus Black’s old locket

8. Who did they eventually find was in possession of the locket/Horcrux?
d. Dolores Umbridge

9. What did Harry find embedded in the door of Umbrdige’s office?
a. Moody’s magical eye

10. After retrieving the Horcrux, they tried to return to their safe place but they were pursued (actually Yaxley tagged along when they disapparated). This meant that the Death Eaters knew their hiding place and they had to go somewhere else. Where did Hermione take them?
d. To the site of the Quidditch World Cup
Picture Scavenger Hunt

Mad-Eye Moody

Nymphadora Tonks

George Weasley

The Dursley's House

Kreacher

HUZZAH HUFFLEPUFF!!!!!

Moebius Magic

2009-02-17T15:09:00.000-06:00

I'm not very good at magic for putting things away. I can't do an Undetectable Extension Charm, and I've never found a Mokeskin pouch for sale. If I try to use magic to put things back in my trunk, they wind up in a tangled heap. And my Monster Book of Monsters is still hiding under my bed, because I haven't been able to calm it down enough to get it back on the shelf.

But if there's one thing I can do, it's knit - and a little bit of magic thrown in makes things so much more interesting. So here's my latest project. It looks like an ordinary basket, right? But if you pick it up, it turns out to have just one side - no inside or outside - and just one edge. Even so, somehow it manages to hold some things - they sort of stay put, even though there's no real inside.

It's really too bad there isn't an O.W.L. in Knitting, isn't it?

Quiz #2

2009-02-12T20:37:00.000-06:00

I've been procrastinating on all kinds of homework this week, but here's my second quiz:

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been at your craft?
Both, but I knit a lot more than I crochet. I've been knitting on and off for 25+ years, probably crocheting occasionally for 20.

2. Do you spin? What type of spinning do you do?
A little. I have a drop spindle or two. I've only made one thing from my handspun.

3. Are there any other crafts that you participate in?
Many of them. Lampwork, embroidery, tatting, sewing, cooking, origami. Is that enough? I tried pottery once, but I'm really, really bad at pottery.

4. What are your favorite yarns/fibers?
I like natural fibers the best - a soft wool is my first choice for almost any project. I love cotton in fabric - knitting with it is a little harder, but I'm hoping to find a cotton yarn I love. I'm pretty fond of Tofutsies' soy silk, too.

5. What are your LEAST favorite yarns/fiber?
I don't like synthetics, although I'll use a blend when it's appropriate. I usually don't use mohair yarns, although I'm not sure why I haven't enjoyed them. And I learned the hard way that bamboo isn't much good for winter, although I'm not ruling it out for non-winter-sock applications.

6. Are there any types/brands of yarn that you are dying to work with but haven’t gotten a chance?
Nothing leaps to mind, but I'm always happy to find a new yarn someone else recommends. I'm not adverse to trying out some of the weird fibers.

7. What are you currently working on?
A wedding shawl and my Kauni Cardigan are the two big projects. I have plenty of smaller things going, but they will change quickly.

8. Are their any knitting/crochet techniques that you would like to learn?
Sometime I should sit down and learn the two-socks-at-once thing.

9. Do you have a yarn winder and/or a swift?
No, I just wind my yarn by hand.

10. Where/how to you keep you needles/hooks?
My DPNs are in and outgrowing a nice fabric case. My circulars are going into a binder, as I find them, although I'm not convinced it's the best storage system. Hooks and spare tools go in the pockets of a suitcase that once held most of my stash.

11. Do you like sweets? What are your favorites?
Every now and then. I don't like terribly sweet stuff, usually. I like vanilla, and fruit. I like pastries. I really like nuts or mint in my chocolate. I tend to go for quality over quantity, especially with chocolate, since it's a potential headache trigger. But I'm not giving it up just because of that!

12. Are you having a birthday during this swap?
No, my birthday is in June.

Quiz #1

2009-02-05T21:59:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's not enough that we had the first homework assignment - now we have a house quiz! We really are turning into a bunch of Ravenclaws. I'm sure I shouldn't complain - to be honest, the Sorting Hat really considered putting me in Ravenclaw - so maybe I'm just getting the best of both Houses, here. But still, homework in the first week?

So here's the question: "When did you first learn to knit - who taught you, how did you learn, what was your first project?"

To take the last question first, I can't remember what my first project was. I think I started a lot of random squares of knitting. The first thing I remember successfully making was a pair of slippers from sewn-up rectangles.

How did I learn? Not very easily - it took me three tries, and longer than that before I got good. I remember they tried to teach us in Blue Birds. I think I tried again at another point. But it didn't really stick until my crazy Muggle aunt (everyone has one, right? Mine was great!) figured out that I was trying to do things left handed. It was really weird - she'd been trying to help me with the knitting, and there was a lot of frustration. Then we were playing a game with a spinning top, and she noticed I was spinning it with my left hand. So we tried to accommodate that in knitting, and it worked - I remember I made a little bitty rectangle that very night!

The funny thing is that I'm not left handed. I do everything - eating, writing, wand-work - with my right hand. But often, when I'm trying to learn to do something, I'll start with my left hand, and have to remember to switch to my right. It helps a little, but I'm not really good with either hand. I think I'm ambisinister.

And when did I learn? Sometime in primary school, long before I was old enough to come to Hogwarts. I think I was 7 when my mother gave me a box of needlework material she'd bought and never finished, and there were knitting needles in that. I've had various periods where I've paid more attention to other hobbies, so this last knitting obsession has just been going on for a few years now.

Because I am a Hufflepuff, and very earnest, I'll even mention that I already answered the second question, some time ago, here.

7th Term

2009-01-27T18:39:00.000-06:00

Wow, I can't believe it's time for the next term already. The holidays just seemed to fly by. My boyfriend and I spent some time traveling together, but now it's back to school for me and back to the Muggles for him.

I was quite surprised to get a letter from our Head Girl, Lavender, saying she's moved to Slytherin House. It's hard to imagine such a thing! I wonder what our new Head Girl will be like?

I almost wonder if she's really a Ravenclaw at heart - thanks to her, we're the first House to get homework! We're supposed to create a wish list. This is always hard - I have to do this for the Muggle families for when my boyfriend and I get married, and I'm having a terrible time deciding what we need.

But my Ravenclaw tendencies are showing, too, because I already have a Wish List here. I already have some knitting-related things on it, like this adorable peacock. I'd also love to have some jewelry that marks me as a knitter - there's only one example on this list, but I know there's a lot of neat stuff out there.

What else??? Hmmm... can you believe I haven't read The Tales of Beedle the Bard yet? Somehow those old stories have become all the rage in the Wizarding community again, but I've never read or heard them. And everyone who sees me walk around the grounds knows I love 100% wool sock yarn, because then I can wear my Birkenstocks through the snow. But then again, all yarn is good, right? I'm always happy with new project bags, too - you never have enough of those! And I love gadgets - even Muggle ones - the tinier and more ingenious, the better. The Weasley boys say their father is absolutely fascinated with Muggle substitutes for magic, and I have to admit I feel the same way. Who wouldn't love a cleverly designed little thing?

So there's the start of a wish list. I hope all of our homework will be this easy!

Daisy's Delivery

2008-11-24T22:10:00.000-06:00

Wow, today was an exciting day for all of us. A thumping at the door proved to be a delivery from Daisy, Amethyst Aurag's owl.

Much to everyone's surprise, there were two packages. The dogs always get excited when there's Post, because they like the company. They were even more excited to discover that one of the packages was addressed to them. (You can't see it very well here, but the package actually says "Bad Dogs.")

Oscar's excitement was somewhat misplaced. He kept trying to investigate the packaging, rather than the contents of the package.

But he was excited when he finally figured it out. And Max was really excited, because Pepper and Rascal, who are cats, decided to get in on the goody-exchange business and send some doggy treats. Oh, happy doggy day!

Daisy and her helper had a package for me, too. When I took off the paper, I saw this nifty small trunk....

..and opened it up to see all sorts of goodies waiting inside.

This is where the dog treats proved to be a gift for me. With the dogs content and busy, I had time to go through the box, and enjoy everything.

Just look at what was inside! There's a handmade knitting-needle holder, that can roll up or hang on a wall. There are two Christmas ornaments - one for Syracuse University (I wonder if any Hogwarts students wind up there?), and one that looks like a basket of yarn. There are handmade stitch markers and wine charms, some people treats, and a sandalwood-scented bar of soap with a raven on the label (Amethyst is in Ravenclaw). There's some beautiful blue fiber for spinning. And don't forget the YARN!!!! Sock yarn, in the "Half-Blood Prince" colorway, and some handsome ebony needles for knitting with it. I hear there may be a Hufflepuff Sock Knitalong between terms - I know what I'll be knitting.

Thank you so much, Amethyst! And the doggies thank you, too!

Crackers

2008-11-22T21:35:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting package delivery yesterday.

Lavender Ackerly sent me a package for our Hufflepuff Cracker Exchange. I don't know if her owl was busy, or if she lives someplace very cold - but this package was delivered by PENGUINS! How neat is that?

I thought it was a big package for a cracker, but it turned out to be a really big cracker - with a Hufflepuff wrapper, no less!

And while our wizard crackers don't bang when they're opened, this one was still pretty exciting. I got the traditional hat, but with a twist - I'll be knitting it myself! Then there was this really pretty knit bag, which looks like it will hold a lot of yarn. And some candies, which you don't see here because I hid them from the dogs right away.

Thanks Lav! I can't wait to start knitting!

More Magical Knitting

2008-11-18T12:31:00.001-06:00

Wow, it looks like Hufflepuff had an exciting Quidditch match! I'm so sorry I missed it - and so glad that Lavender caught the Snitch for us. She's a great Head Girl.

I couldn't hunt because I was visiting my boyfriend, and picking up the dogs. So now Zero gets to hang out with them again. Isn't it funny how dogs always notice each other? That seems to be true even when one of them is a ghost.

While I was there, I started on a new knitting project. Like the Moebius Scarf, it has its own touch of magic. This looks like an ordinary scarf, but it's going to be a very versatile garment - a quick incantation will transform it into a sweater, or a shrug, or a hood, or all sorts of other useful things. I think it will be great for traveling - my Undetectable Extension Charms aren't what they should be, so I just can't fit as much as I'd like to in a suitcase. Magical clothes may be a good solution to that problem.

I also pulled together a package for my Gryffindor friend, Elanya, this weekend. I hope the owls find her soon!

Quidditch, Round 3

2008-11-14T02:19:00.000-06:00

It's time for the last round of Quidditch! Wow, this term has gone by fast!

1. Who was Tom Riddle Sr.'s girlfriend before Merope gave him the love potion?
b. Cecilia
2. What does Luna say floated into Harry's ear when he was in the train car that supposedly caused him to lose focus?
c. Wrackspurt
3. How much do the primary Apparition lessons cost?
d. 12 galleons
4. What is Professor Merrythought's first name?
b. Galatec
5. What Hogwarts club was Eileen Prince captain of?
b. Gobstones Club
6. Who is head of the Goblin Liaison office?
b. Dirk Cresswell
7. Mrs. Weasley offers Fleur a goblin-made tiara for the wedding with Bill. What family member is currently in possession of the tiara?
a. Aunt Muriel
8. How many points does Snape take from Gryffindor for Harry's late arrival and muggle attire?
b. 70
9. When Profressory Slughorn first meets Hermione, he asks her whether she is related to Hector Dagworth-Granger. What society did Dgworth-Granger found?
d. The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers
10. Which of these describes Golpalott's Third Law?
d. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components

Quiz #7

2008-11-13T20:52:00.001-06:00

Looks like I've missed a few quizzes. But at least I can get this one in - just before the deadline!

1. If this was your first HSKS, have you enjoyed yourself. If you are alumni, was this term better than other terms (if so how)? I'm not sure that it was better, but it's been fun. Last term, we seemed to be a more lively House and interact more. I miss that.

2. Will you be returning for HSKS7? Yes!

3. What is your favorite part of HSKS? Getting to know all the other knitters in my House, as well as my spoiler and spoilee. Someday, I'd love to meet everyone in person!

4. If you had the chance to switch houses next term would you? What house would you be in? Nope! I'm a Hufflepuff through-and-through, now.

5. Are there any problems that you need to talk to the Head Girl or Prefects about? No problems.

6. Has your Spoiler been in contact with you about your package? We've been in contact, and I know I'm getting a package. She hasn't told me what to expect or anything!

7. Have you been in contact with your Spoilee to let them know you are still with us? ;) Yep - not as much as I should have, but she knows I'm still alive. Sometime I'll even send the postcard I'm carrying around - maybe for Christmas.

More with Muggles

2008-11-13T18:10:00.000-06:00

My finger is healing nicely. I had the "stitches" out today, and they seem to have worked. There's something to these Muggle techniques, after all - although it's kind of strange to see holes in my skin!

Once the Healer took the stitches out, he used some sort of ReSkin Remedy to finish the job. While I should be happy to get back to potions and spells instead of the weird Muggle stuff, the Remedy is turning my finger purple. I hope the new skin doesn't stay that way! Things always seem to go faster for other people who visit Madame Pomfrey, but maybe some ailments are just more complicated than others.

I hope the new skin turns out to be healthy and strong (and not purple). I'm going to try it out tonight, and see if I can get some knitting done. I have a project I want to finish for my Gryffindor friend Elanya, so I'd like to have that delivered to her soon. Then I'm going to visit my boyfriend, and since he's a Muggle I'm not sure what he'll think of purple skin. I guess he's just going to have to get used to that sort of thing.

Minister of Muggles

2008-11-06T19:21:00.000-06:00

I haven't been very good about paying attention to school lately. I've been caught up in all the excitement about the election - there's a new Minister of Muggles. I know some people in our world don't like to pay attention to such things, but I think it's really important - many of us have Muggle relatives, and Wizard-Muggle relations is something that concerns us all. Did you know that one of the candidates actually spoke against witches? I don't know what's scarier - that she doesn't like us, or that she knows about us at all! I wonder how the Statute of Secrecy was violated? This is a good reminder of how important it is - I know I'll be a lot more careful about practicing Quidditch when I'm home for the summer! I don't know what their new Minister thinks of us - perhaps someone will lead a delegation to ask.

But enough about Muggles. I finished a pair of socks! And I've started knitting a new scarf - a magical scarf.

I know it doesn't look like much here, but that's because it's all bunched up on the needles. There's only so much that can be done for knitting in progress, even if you're willing to use a bit of magic from time to time. But wait until you see it finished - it will look like a normal, two-sided, loop-shaped scarf, but if you run your fingers along it you'll see it has only one side.

I'm making the scarf with some handspun that Morgana Black gave me in last term's swap. The colorway is called "Perfect Storm," and it's knitting up to be just lovely - it looks like I'm knitting a cloudy sky. We've been lucky with the sunshine lately, but once winter sets in I'll be glad to have something to remind me that gray and cloudy can be very pretty.

If you'd like to knit a magical scarf yourself, the spell is described here. I hope you'll share pictures if you do!

Halloween

2008-11-01T21:49:00.000-05:00

It was a very quiet Halloween.

I left Hogwarts to visit my boyfriend at his Muggle school, and they don't do much to celebrate. But I brought all three dogs with me, and Zero had fun getting to hang out with my live dogs. So I think he had a really good time.

I'm feeling kind of funny. I had something wrong with my finger, and the Healer I saw used stitches when treating it. Now I know why Mrs. Weasley doesn't approve of these alternative therapies! I'm also not doing so well with the Pain Relieving Spells - I don't know if I'm missing, or what, but they make my head feel woozy and don't do much for the finger pain. But Madame Pomfrey thinks I just need to be patient and rest, and I'll be better soon.

It's going to be a busy few days. The Muggle election is coming up, and it's important to work for that. The Minister of Magic is going to want a good Muggle partner for the next four years, so I'm going to do what I can to help him get one!

Quiz #4 Complete

2008-10-27T19:47:00.000-05:00

Our last quiz was a "Mad Libs" type story. I posted my answers this week, and now we get to see how they fit into Lavender's story:

Professor Moody was having a terrible morning, and it wasn't even breakfast yet. Someone broke into the Herbology classroom the night before, hid a Boggart in the closet, and set loose 733 doxies. How did he know there were 733 doxies? Because each one took a bite out of his hand as he tried to capture it, and Madame Pomfrey had to run each wound separately. And comment annoyingly about how Professor McGonagall would've had the room cleared out with 2 waves of a wand.

It took forever to get out of the infirmary, and by then Professor Moody was in a foul mood. Luckily, he knew how to improve it: by finding the culprits and making him, her or them pay. Moody had overheard some students giggling in the hallways the other day about Selena's stash of doxy eggs, so he had a good idea of who to interrogate first. Unfortunately for him, but rather fortunately for Selena, the common room password had recently been changed to "Chudley Cannons", so Moody couldn't enter. Sir Cadogan looked up from his portrait and laughed at the cursing, frustrated Professor.

The old Professor Moody would have thrown a hissy fit at being taunted by a mere portrait, and blasted the thing all the way into the 9th floor girl's bathroom. The new Professor Moody went to 11 weeks of Anger Management classes, punched a lot of pillows, and took up needlepoint. And started subscribing to the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes catalogue.

Professor Moody's first class off the day was Herbology with the 3rd year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw. It took them 2 hours to clean up after the entire carton of Fanged Frisbees that went off and clung to their robes, schoolbooks, and any exposed flesh. The students all knew that Selena was planning to do something in Herbology to get Professor Moody, so everyone blamed her for the prank and gave her the cold shoulder for 17 days, until Ophelia Hopkirk blew up the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with a misplaced charm and became the new pariah-of-the-hour.

Hogwarts Ghosts

2008-10-26T15:06:00.001-05:00

I was sitting by the window in our common room today, when a new ghost flew in. He's not like the other ghosts here at Hogwarts.

His name is Zero. He's very friendly, and he's been following me around all day. Most of the Hogwarts ghosts are quite nice - our own Fat Friar is always jolly, Nearly Headless Nick is unfailingly polite, and even Peeves can be quite funny sometimes. But Zero's unusual - he really likes to be around people, all the time, and he's very warm and cuddly for a ghost.

I've been trying to pet him a bit, and I think he likes that. It's hard to pet a ghost, but he's so cute that I can't help but try. Sometimes he gets in a playful mood, but he was content to spend most of the day in my lap, or hovering just over my shoulder while I was reading.

He reminds me a lot of one of my Muggle dogs, Oscar. But I don't think Oscar could be part ghost, since I'm already pretty sure he's part Niffler. But maybe Zero is a distant relative of Oscar's - that might explain the resemblance. Since I can't have Oscar or Max with me when I'm in class, I'm glad Zero's here. It's nice to have doggie company - and I think this ghostly dog likes having company, too. I'm happy to snuggle with Zero!

The Hufflepuff Wizard Cracker Exchange

2008-10-26T00:04:00.000-05:00

I'm about to announce the Hufflepuff Wizard Cracker Exchange, so here's a short tutorial on how to make your own Cracker.

If this were a real Wizard Cracker, the lucky recipient would pull on the ends and it would explode with a bang, revealing all sorts of goodies. Since mailing something that explodes is probably a Really Bad Idea, we're going to go for the look - and the goodies.

Supplies: You'll need a cardboard tube, some tissue paper, tape (or glue), scissors, goodies to put in the cracker, and stuff to decorate the cracker. The dog is optional and not recommended, but my EvenWorseDog really likes to steal and chew up paper towel tubes.

Step 1: Cut the tube to the length needed for your goodies, and roll it up in tissue paper that's a few inches wider than your tube is long.

Step 2: Twist the paper on one end of the tube to close it, and fill it with goodies through the other end.

Step 3: With both ends twisted shut and tucked in, pick your paper for the outside of the cracker. I've had to tape two 12" sheets of scrapbook paper together here, but the seam will be hidden by my decorations. You want something that will wrap around the tube with a bit of an overlap, and leave 4-5" at each end of the tube.

Step 4: The decorative paper is taped around the outside of the tube. Pinch the ends shut - you'll want them to be fairly snug.

Step 5: Fasten the ends shut with yarn, ribbon, or tape, and decorate as you see fit. Your cracker is ready to mail!

Possible embellishments - you could always add some curling ribbon, to simulate an explosion. Or confetti - if you warn the recipient to be careful about opening it. Here are some examples of Muggle Crackers, for inspiration.

I am most like...

2008-10-23T21:10:00.000-05:00

Which HP Kid Are You?

Quiz #4

2008-10-23T20:43:00.000-05:00

More homework, and today it's Mad Libs. This should be fun! Today I'll post a list of words, and at the end of the week, we'll see what sort of story they've created....

1. Alastor Moody
2. Herbology
3. 733
4. Professor McGonagall
5. Hand
6. to run
7. Selena
8. Chudley Cannons
9. Sir Cadogan
10. 9
11. 11
12. Needlepoint
13. Ravenclaw
14. Fanged Frisbees
15. Ophelia Hopkirk
16. Defense Against the Dark Arts

Quidditch, Round Two

2008-10-15T22:31:00.000-05:00

It's time for the next round of Quidditch! I hope I'll be able to help hunt the Snitch this time, and maybe bring victory back to our fine House. Huzzah Hufflepuff!

No scavenger hunt this round, but here are my trivia answers:

What animal does the portrait in the Muggle Prime Minster’s office resemble?
b. Frog

2. What drink does Romilda Vane try to give Harry?
a. Gillywater

3. What is the name of the person who heads the Holyhead Harpies?
b. Gwenog Jones

4. How many ‘Exceeds Expectation’ grades does Harry receive in his O.W.L’s?
c. 5

5. What is Professor Slughorn’s favorite candy?
d. Crystallized Pineapple

6. What tattoo is Harry reported to have on his chest?
c. Hippogriff

7. What color robes do the staff at the Weasley’s shop wear?
b. Magenta

8. What is the man outside Flourish and Blotts selling?
a. Amulets

9. How much is the skull, which Hermione enquires about at Borgin and Burkes, worth?
c. 16 Galleons

10. What are Professor Slughorn’s initials?
b. H.E.F.

Yikes! A Quiz!

2008-10-09T20:23:00.000-05:00

I'm no better at my Hogwarts homework than I am with Muggle projects. I just now found out about the quiz - which is exactly the sort of thing I get on students for doing! How bad is that?

But here it is - the best I can do, without the book:

1. On what day does Harry run into Draco and Narcissa in Diagon Alley?
August 3, when they're buying school supplies before the beginning of the term.

2. How does Harry get detention in DADA?
He annoys Professor Snape, especially when he says "There's no need to call me 'Professor,' sir."

3. How does Ron get his spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team?
He wins it in tryouts! It may help that Hermione Confunded Cormac McLaggen, but Ron's probably the better Keeper, anyway.

4. When is the first Apparition lesson?
February 1.

5. When do Ron and Ginny breakup with Lavender and Dean?
April 21.

6. What Horcrux is hidden in the cave?
The Locket

7. Who does Filch have a romance with?
The Librarian

8. When is Voldemort’s birthday and birth place?
He was born in London, December 31, around 1926.

9. What is Dumbledore’s favorite flavor of jam?
Raspberry.

10. Who is “Mollywobbles” and who uses the name?
It's Mr. Weasley's pet nickname for Mrs. Weasley.

Pictures:

Snape

Draco

Kreacher

Madam Pince

Rufus Scrimgeour

My Patronus

2008-10-09T17:01:00.000-05:00

What Patronus Charm would you create?

Terrier
You would create a Terrier Patronus charm just like Ron. Your personality must be loyal, slightly clueless, fun-loving, and clumsy.

How do you compare?
Take this test! | Tests from Testriffic

Homework Again

2008-09-30T20:59:00.000-05:00

1 Which is your favorite book in the series (and why)?
#5, because I really like seeing Umbridge go down.

2 If you were taking Owls, which class would you get an E in? Would you get any Ts?
I hope I'd be good at History of Magic. I'd be most likely to get a T in Herbology. This is what my fiance's garden looked like after he left it to me. The only plant I took good care of was the goldenrod.

3 Who is your favorite character (or characters) in the Harry Potter series?
I think the Weasley twins are pretty nifty. I also feel a certain kinship with Hagrid, and his views on interesting creatures.

4 If you had to pick 1 character for a roomate, who would you pick and why? Who'd be your least-favorite to have as a roomate?
Hermione would be a great roommate, because she'd help with homework and we could stay up all night knitting. I wouldn't want to live anywhere near Percy Weasley, and if I had Pansy Parkinson as a roommate I'd probably rub poison ivy on her sheets.

5 Hufflepuffs are a hardworking bunch, but also a bit mischevious. Which Hogwarts professor would you most like to prank, and how would you do it?
I'd like to play a prank on Professor Flitwick. I think he'd be the biggest challenge - and he'd probably appreciate a well-done prank, once it was over.

6 Favorite DADA professor? (from the books, Lucius does NOT count :)
Professor Lupin. And I'd like to take some classes from the real Professor Moody.

7 Favorite magical creatures? (Also, if for example you like a certain creature in general, but not how they are represented in the HP canon, feel free to elaborate :)
Isn't it strange that dogs are never listed as being magical? Is it just because they're so wonderful that they don't need magic?
There's something cool about the Thestrals. It would be hard to get used to having a creature around that I couldn't see, but they seem to be pretty friendly in their own way.

8 What is your favorite food in the HP universe? Which food or foods would you like to try in real life? Do you have any recipes to share with us ;)?
Mmm...butterbeer. I'd love to try butterbeer. I'm pretty sure I'd like the Pumpkin Pasties too - maybe I should come up with a recipe for my own. And anything by Mrs. Weasley would be wonderful to try.

9 Broom, floo powder, portkey, or magic carpet?
Magic carpet - more room for the dogs.

10 Since we're Hufflepuffs... Yellow or Black?
Black! Except for knitting yarn...I'm learning that's not much fun.

The Dating Game

2008-09-29T19:42:00.000-05:00

I've heard that, a few years ago, one of the Professors went kind of nuts on Valentine's day and filled Hogwarts with glitter and angry cupids. Maybe some things are safer done the Muggle way, with a computer dating quiz.

I took the test to find my ideal mate at Hogwarts, and got:

Your result for The Harry Potter Husband Test...

Mrs. Weasley Twin

Your perfect HP man is Fred and/or George Weasley.

Laughter is important to you. You want a guy who's never boring, who can always put a smile on your face, and who can pull the best of pranks and never get caught. Or possibly two such guys. Because let's face it, they're pretty much a two-fer. You get one, you get both. Even if one of them's only a friend, he'll still be around so much you'll feel like you're married to him, too. Sure, they may not seem like the most mature guys in the world, in a traditional sense, but just ask them about their business plan. When they drive you nuts by relentlessly testing their latest inventions on you, you can console youself with that huge stack of cash and dragon-leather jacket. Besides, you know you're powerless against those stereo smiles.

Take The Harry Potter Husband Test at HelloQuizzy

That's not what I expected, but I think the Weasley twins are pretty cool. I'll bet my mother would be happy if I brought home a redhead - although two might be a bit much for her! But I think a girl would get awful worn out, living with one of those boys.

Besides, I already have a Muggle boyfriend. For someone who can't do magic or knit, he's pretty satisfactory. And I never have to worry about "accidentally" getting Canary Creams for Valentine's Day!

Quidditch, Round One

2008-09-24T20:50:00.001-05:00

This school term is going fast! Can you believe it's already time for the first Quidditch match? We've barely had a chance to get the team together and practice.

I'm not going to be able to hunt for the Snitch this time, so I'd better get my answers posted!

1. At the beginning of the book, Cornelius Fudge is talking to the Muggle Prime Minister. Which member of the Order of the Phoenix has recently been found dead?
c. Emmeline Vance

2. What animal does Bellatrix Lestrange kill when she and her sister, Narcissa, are going to see Professor Snape?
b. Fox

3. What time does Professor Dumbledore collect Harry from Privet Drive?
b. 11 p.m.

4. What did Professor Slughorn transform into when he was trying to hide from Harry and Professor Dumbledore?
a. An armchair

5. What grade did Harry get for Herbology?
a. E – Exceeds Expectation

6. Herbert Chorley, the Prime Minister’s Junior Minster, has been entertaining the public by impersonating which animal?
b. A duck

7. What is Professor Sprout’s first name?
d. Pomona

8. What is Dumbledore’s idea of ‘a few words’?
d. nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak

9. Who is Marcus Belby’s famous uncle?
b. Damocles

10. What is Snape’s mother’s name?
b. Eileen Prince

Photos:

Narcissa

Snape

Bellatrix

Professor Sprout

Professor Dumbledore

HUZZAH HUFFLEPUFF!!!!!

Picture Day

2008-09-22T18:23:00.001-05:00

It's picture day at Hogwarts!

Since the Meez on the side already shows me in my Hogwarts uniform, I'll share this - the last school picture I had taken. Do you miss the '80s?

No magic spell in the world would do much for my thin hair (especially after I had a Hair-Destroying Curse put on me by my Evil Second Grade Teacher), but I was determined to try. Perm after perm, and this was the best it got - I really wanted something curlier!

Fortunately for the next generation, I'm marrying a man with naturally curly hair. So any future children should have hair with body without having to resort to Hoosier Hair, or any of its more-unfortunately-named counterparts.

Potions Practice

2008-09-20T21:26:00.001-05:00

It's hard to remember how much fun Potions can be when your teacher is Snape - sorry, Professor Snape. With him, it's all about things you can do to people - Swelling Solution, Confusing Concoction, Veritaserum, Draught of Living Death. I think the only reason he teaches antidotes at all is so he'll have an excuse to poison students. After his class, you're left thinking Potions are mostly a Dark Art - so why would you ever want to study them?

But Potions can be fun, too. My friend from last term, Calliope, invited me to join her and a bunch of the witches in her town for a Potions Day in the park. We spent the whole day working on Potions that change the color of things - mostly yarn and stuff, but I got a bit too eager to work on mine, and wound up turning my hands blue. I think somebody else accidentally colored her hair, but the more experienced witches assured her that the color wouldn't stay unless she'd also spilled Mordantum Mixture on her hair first.

We learned that you can use some ingredients that are easy to find - like Pokeberry, and even Walnuts for your potions - although having some Dragon's Blood and Beetle Scale helps make the really nice colors.

I'm sorry Calliope couldn't come back to Hogwarts for this term, but she says she'll be back next year. She's still practicing her Potions work almost every week, so I know she'll have all sorts of exciting things to show off when she gets back!

Dueling with the Muggles

2008-09-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

I've just finished a hat for Hat Attack, which is sort of like Dueling Club for Muggles. The structure is a bit different - instead of a one-to-one matchup, everyone's in a chain, trying to do in the next person down. Imagine being in a Quiddtich match where there aren't any teams, and everyone's looking for the Snitch!

My hat is in the mail now, on its way to "kill" my Muggle victim. Muggle knitters can be a pretty violent bunch. I wonder if it's because they only get to wave around knitting needles, and never wands?

Quiz #1

2008-09-17T20:13:00.001-05:00

1. Do you knit and/or crochet?
- Mostly I knit. I'm crocheting a project right now, though.
2. How long have you been at your craft?
- 30 years, off and on. More seriously, for the past 5 or so.
3. Do you spin? If yes do you use drop spindle or wheel.
- Some, on a drop spindle.
4. What is your favorite color?
- Blue, and I like cool colors in general.
5. Do you have any other hobbies?
- Lots! Reading, cooking, wine drinking, lampworking, medieval re-creation
6. What are your favorite yarns/fibers?
- Merino wool is my favorite overall, and seems to be the most versatile and practical. I like natural fibers in general.
7. What are your LEAST favorite yarns/fibers?
- Acrylic and mohair. I really don't like mohair in garments - I try to be more open-minded about synthetics.
8. Are there any yarns that you’ve been eyeing and wanting to try?
- I keep hearing about this Wollmeise, and want to try it. I love my skein of Fleece Artist sock yarn, and would like to try more of theirs. Tofutsies and Therapi are the only SWTC yarns I've tried, so I'd like to try some of the others.
9. What are you currently working on?
- My Hat Attack weapon, Zero the Ghost Dog, and my "Audacity" yarn socks.
10. What is your favorite Finished Object? (Pictures are welcome.)
- That's a tough call. I reach for my Monkey socks pretty regularly. And I was quite proud of Nautie, and want to knit more of him.
11. Are their any knitting/crochet techniques that you would like to learn?
- I want to learn to knit two socks at once, and I want to try double knitting.
12. What is you favorite type of book or movie?
- Historical fiction for books - probably comedies for movies.
13. Who is your favorite person at Hogwarts?
- Madam Hooch is totally cool. I want to fly like she does.
14. Favorite class and/or subject at Hogwarts?
- Care of Magical Creatures. Someday I'd like to a niffler.
15. How many family members do you have?
- There's me, my fiance (who's away at another school), and the two dogs.
16. What is your favorite Fall activity?
- Roasting marshmallows
17. How many projects do you have on your needles/hook?
- I have 13 projects in progress, 4 that I've actively worked on in the last week or two
18. What is your favorite type of footwear?
- Birkenstock sandals. They show off handmade socks so well!
19. What is your favorite beverage of choice?
- I drink Pepsi most of the time, but I like white or rose wine the best.
20. What is your favorite park of Half-blood Prince?
- The Quiddtich match where Harry tricks Ron into thinking he's taken the Felix Felicis.

Questions from the Headmistress

2008-09-14T18:04:00.000-05:00

Here's my first homework assignment!

Potter Name: Selena Starfire

Rav ID: VeryBadDogs

I am allergic to: Cats, black olives

Pets that I have: 2 bad dogs

My favorite yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport, or Cherry Tree Hill

My favorite flavor: It's a tough choice - mocha, mint, or berry?

My favorite holiday: Christmas, but the others are fun, too

I would like to receive a: surprise!

List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length: Crystal Palace bamboo needles - I go through a lot of 1s and 2s (thanks to the dogs). I learned that I don't do so well with really short needles.

Is there a brand that you are dying to try?: Of needles? Sooner or later I'll try the Addis, and the Sock Stix.

I've participated in HSKS: Once

Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day? No

My Wand

2008-09-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

Last term, I didn't worry too much about my wand - I just borrowed one for learning the basic spells. Some people thought it was funny that, when I bought my spindle, I paid more attention to it than I did to a wand. But it makes sense - you have to find the right combination of wood and whorl (just like a wand and its core), and you want something that fits your hand. If you spend a lot of time around Muggles, a spindle is a bit - only a bit, I'm afraid - easier to explain than a wand.

But this year I have my own wand, selected by Mr. Ollivander just for me!

Wood type: olive
Length: 11 inches
Core: Phoenix Feather

get your own wand!

Mr. Ollivander says this about Olive wands:

Olive wands tend to choose the witch or wizard who possess above average intelligence, not to mention often an overactive imagination. Olive wands are also a favorite of healers and are especially good not only for healing but also for protective spells. Many believe the bearers of Olive wands to be good at decision making - but this is not necessarily so. The owner of an olive wand may be decisive but that does not mean their decisions are the right ones. On the other side of the coin they may be so busy worrying about what is right that they are unable to ever reach a conclusion.
Olive's personality is peaceful

And this about the Phoenix feather core:

The Phoenix Feather comes from the tail feathers of a Phoenix, and is especially good with fire or defensive magic, as well as healing magic. This may be due largely to the healing properties Phoenixes have.

I tend to burn myself a lot, when I'm baking or making glass beads, so I hope this wand will be good for healing those burns!

P.S. There was a lovely surprise in my mailbox today, a leftover from HSKS5! Read all about it on my Muggle Blog.

Back to School

2008-09-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

It's almost time for the fall term to begin at Hogwarts, and I can't wait to get back!

I'm only in my second year, so I'm glad I was able to do the summer term and get started. Being at Hogwarts is so much fun that I liked going to school in the summer. Even the homework was interesting - we hardly ever had that at my Muggle school.

I was surprised to find out how much I liked playing Quidditch. I've never been very athletic, but I certainly had some good luck as a Seeker. I hope that carries over into this term, because I'd really like to see Hufflepuff repeat our Quidditch and House Cup victories!

I never thought I'd be a Hufflepuff. I'd always thought of myself as a Ravenclaw type, and the Sorting Hat seemed to be trying to decide between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. But like Professor Dumbledore says, the Hat can take your thoughts into account. I guess not many people wanted to be Hufflepuffs last year, but I thought it would be just fine. I'm glad the Hat did too, because I loved my House - we had all kinds of fun together. I'm looking forward to seeing who's back, and getting to know the new students.

Of course, one of the best things about Hogwarts is meeting other witches and wizards who like to knit. I'm sure we'll get a lot of knitting done as we chat in our common room. I wonder what sort of projects I'll do this year?