Ra Ra Ravenclaw!

This post is going to be primarily about knitting and Harry Potter, so if you're not interested in any of that, you probably ought to skip this post.

I finished my Luna scarf, which was my first project for the new term of Harry Potter Knitting / Crochet House Cup. I'm knitting (and crocheting, as you can see below) for Ravenclaw again, which is nice. I was prepared to knit for another house again, but the numbers ended up being fairly balanced and I think everyone got their first choice.


Luna Lovegood scarf. Slightly twisty, slightly itchy, but sweet

The scarf was crocheted from stash wool, which is amazing in and of itself. I ran out of the first color (the lightest) and went stash diving to dig out some more coordinated colors. The Luna scarf was an assignment from this month's Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The task was this:

This month you will be learning the Imperius Curse: Go to our Group Members Page. Close your eyes. Click on a fellow Housecupper. Make something from their projects page. (Because it’s like the other Housecupper controlling you - but there’s a certain amount of agency, because you can choose what project you do…and also because if you hate everything, you could choose another person - we totally wouldn’t know.)

So I thought the assignment was pretty cool. I clicked on a person called MOEgir198, who had already made a Luna scarf, and there you have it.

Here's a quick rundown of the rest of the classes for this month. (And the list of classes available to take has been expanded, which was nice.)

• Herbology: cleaning the greenhouse. Clean your Ravelry queue, update stash and needles lists, organize yarn stash (with before and after photos) and make a 12-month plan of at least one project per month to work on.
• Care of Magical Creatures: knit or crochet something that will keep the magical creature in your home warm. These items can also be donated if you don't happen to have any pets.
• History of Magic: knowledge. The first assignment is a 25-question quiz; the answers are to be found in the seven books of the series, as well as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and Tales of Beedle the Bard.
• Charms: the Patronus Charm. Create either a cure for seasonal depression (i.e. something to make YOU happy) or depicts the patronus as a messenger (a messenger bag or book cover).
• Arithmancy: the magic in math. Using the site Intro to Arithmancy, obtain your three numbers of interest: Character, Heart and Social. Then craft a project that features these three numbers.

I have a few ideas so far, and I have already started on my project for Charms class. I'm knitting a beret called Urchin which is from the Fall '07 issue of Knitty. The wool I'm using is the giant cake of black wool from Heartland Fiber Co (that new LYS in town that I finally visited*).

A new thing for the winter term is OWLs (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). The assignment is to choose a class to attempt an OWL for, present your written portion, and then commence the project, which is due at the end of the term (end of March). I'm thinking of doing a project for Herbology ("students should be able to easily manipulate oversized organic creations"). My project plan is a cabled blanket, Serenity. I was also thinking about Charms, for which I'd knit a shawl. I'm still up in the air about that.

That's really all I have to say. Kudos to you if you've made it through this whole post!


*This link, coincidentally, is the same one I shared two posts ago when I mentioned the cortisone shot for my shoulder. Weird.

In which I actually blog

Forgive me, readers, for I have sinned. It's been over two weeks since my last blog-fession. I have been busy: let me show you the ways.

Firstly, I received an excellent Firefly swap package from kodama on Ravelry. You can click on the picture to see the notes on the Flickr. She sent a Jayne soda cosy, beautiful fall colored yarn, a tin-adorned box filled with strawberry sweets, really cool stitch markers, a Fruity Oaty Bar magnet, a Blue Sun sticker and a Browncoat pin. What a rock star!

And then, for the HP Knit / Crochet House Cup, I've been crafting up a storm. Here are a couple examples:


Before the crock pot dye adventure


Colored with blackberries

The dye project was for the October Herbology class. The assignment was to dye something with a natural product. My blackberries weren't exactly fresh picked — I got them from the frozen produce aisle. I love the subtle mauve effect they gave the yarn. It's really shiny, too.

And then there was the Astronomy project this month: a project inspired by the sun and / or the moon. I chose to craft both. I found 5-inch rings at Ben Franklin, crocheted around them, and went from there. If you're on Ravelry, you can check out my project page for details.


You are my sunshine!

What's really cool about the sun is that if you flip the rays up, it looks rather like a crown. puckstopper9 had an excellent thought on that: she said it reminded her of Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem. I have to say I agree, and I might take that idea and run with it. I wonder if there are slightly larger rings available ...

In non-crafty news (not that there's a whole lot), I saw this link on Plurk today. It's really freaky. Soylent Green is people, man!

Also, I signed up for NaNoWriMo on Monday. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel during November, which I intend to write by hand. I don't know whether I'll make it that far, but that's fine with me. I'm starting to get a few ideas, at any rate, and I'll take my best shot. I'm xamonster there, as everywhere.

That's all, dear friends. Tschüs!

Hey look, I can blog!

First things first: I adopted a friend's cat. She has become increasingly allergic, and I've got extra room, as it's just been Demetrios and I.

At first, things were a little rough, and Burgy demonstrated her dominance (although one night Demetrios decided to retaliate and camped in front of the litter box. That was fun). Now they get along. There's the occasional nose-touch and butt-sniff, so I call that a win. See? They're pals.

Now I'll tell you what I've been doing lately: knitting! (Like you couldn't guess that anyway.) Actually, it's really geeky knitting, so beware. I joined a Firefly Swap on Ravelry, and below is a test model for one of the many fun things I have planned. I even found some fun packaging that has a bit of Chinese flair, like so much of Firefly does.


A tiny Jayne hat was a warm-up for a similar keychain, which will be sent to my (secret!) Firefly Swap pal.

I also joined the HP Knitting / Crochet House Cup on Ravelry, which also has a blog. I'm knitting in Ravenclaw. Each month there will be assignments for different classes; we're allowed to do as many or as few as we like. Being the typical Ravenclaw, I signed up for everything except Quidditch.

In Potions, we're meant to knit something using two yarns you wouldn't normally hold together. I decided to use jute twine and fun fur. As you can see below, it's very ... colorful. In Astronomy, the assignment is to make something star-shaped, or with a star on it, while the Herbology task is to knit a dishcloth with hemp or cotton. As for Transfiguration, the assignment is to learn something new, or get better at something we've barely tried. For me, that's definitely spinning. So hopefully by the end of September I'll have a nice, consistently-spun skein of yarn to show.


Potions by the Numbers

Oh, and I almost forgot Charms: we're to create something using either lumos or wingardium leviosa. For wingardium leviosa, we're do to something that flies. For lumos one must have something that holds or gives off light; I'll be knitting a tealight holder out of wire and beads. It might even turn out to be sculptural, if I can find some a light-gauge wire that is still sturdy. Maybe a Whomping Willow candle holder?

So I'm about half done with both my Potions and Herbology homework, and a third or so of the way done with Astronomy. And that's all she wrote.

Drive by blogging

Alas, the drag queen challenge wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. I think maybe Project Runway is losing its zest and zeal, which just makes me sad.

But what I really came to talk about was the knitting, and how I even have pictures. (Hush, Oboekönigin! You have such a dirty mind.) I finished my Ravelympics socks on Friday and a shawl earlier this afternoon. What's interesting about the shawl is that I started it yesterday afternoon. Lemme show you it.



It's the Ruffled Shawl from a new knitting magazine that will be on stands early next month. Here's my Ravelry page on it.

I also mentioned the Kaylee socks, of which I'm quite proud. See?


My feets aren't deformed. It's an odd angle. I swear.


Oboekönigin and Sister Berte might remember this sculpture in a more put-together form. It's currently parked a block from my parents' house.

But I just got a call that the closing ceremonies have started, so I'm going to head back to my parents' house and watch them. And ponder what to knit next. 'Cause I've got yet another knitting event coming up. I'll probably enlighten you tomorrow, or whenever I happen to post next. (You know me and my sporadical posting.) But here's a hint.

I see you!

Look at all that work I've done on the Kaylee socks! See the dangly pink bits (oh, that sounds disgusting) hanging off my socks? That's where the heel will go. I decided on Saturday to do an afterthought heel, which is a new thing to me. Hopefully it will turn out well. If not, I suppose I'll just have to give these socks to my mom. Again.

Now observe my underhanded attempt to distract you from the fact that I am only actively working on one of my three Ravelympics projects. I never ended up casting on poor Gerda. I started Spring Things over with a different yarn because the Dream In Color wasn't draping the way I wanted to. You can't win 'em all, I suppose.

Carpal tunnel, here I come

I really meant to have updated my blog before now. As you can see, dear reader, I have not.

But what I really came here to talk to you about today is the Ravelympics. More precisely, the fact that I am now signed up on three teams and knitting three different projects. That's three projects to finish in 17 days — the length of the Olympics. Why three? Because I'm a crackhead. Honestly, it started with one team and one project, and grew astronomically from there.

My Ravelympics Projects (linked to my Rav project pages)

• Kaylee socks: I entered these in the Sock Put event. I'm knitting them primarily for Team Browncoat, because they're Firefly themed. But I added them to Team Welcome because I felt like it.
• Spring Things shawl: For the Shawl Relay. I'll be using the yarn I got in Decorah at the beginning of Dorian: Dream in Color Baby. This is entered in Team Knitted Together and Team Welcome.
• Gerda Stole: This lovely project I just added today. I fell in love with the pattern a couple days ago, and I bought some Lacey Lamb at Knitted Together, and ... well the two just coincided. I'm knitting this delight for all three teams: Team Welcome, Team Browncoat, and Team Knitted Together.

Now I think I'll fiddle with my blog a bit so I can get the WIPs section back on the sidebar so's you can keep track of my progress.

The earliest I can cast on for these projects is 7 a.m. on August 8 (which is local time for 8 p.m. Beijing on August 8). And you better believe I'll be up early to cast on. I've got three bloody projects for 17 days, after all!

Bobmas Eve?

I'm supposed to be hosting a Bobmas Eve party tonight for Iowa members of Ravelry (Bobmas Eve, for the uninitiated, is to celebrate the anniversary of Ravelry, when Jess and Casey thought the whole thing up). But no one seems to want to go. I haven't gotten any replies on my thread for folks to go. I may end up hanging out at the mall food court all by my own self.

But then, I got my tax return applied to my bank account this week, so I might just go with a little retail therapy at the yarn shop that's right by the mall. Ha!

I have to say, it is a little cold and rainy, but of course, it's April. Who should be surprised at that?

Maybe I'll just go home and play Zelda for a while.

Koolhaas is finished

I don't know that I mentioned when I posted yesterday that I finished Koolhaas on Friday.


PhotoBooth, how I love thee!

Pattern: Koolhaas by Jared Flood, IK Holiday '07 (Ravelry)
Yarn: Malabrigo worsted in dusty olive
Needles: US 6 Boye Balene and US 8 aluminum (both 16" circs); US 8 Clover bamboo
Cast on: February 26
Cast off: March 7

But what's really distracted me on Ravelry today is the thread on Mystical Creation Yarns. I've finally caught up with the train wreck of a thread which, at 2,137 posts, is a marathon to read. (There were nearly 200 posts to catch up on from what I'd read last night.) The thread concerns the poor business practices of the owner of said online yarn shop. This person has now allegedly faked her own death. It's sad, gossip-y, and really hard to look away (hence "train wreck").

Oh, and my new favorite radio station is Capitol 106.3, because when I turned it on this afternoon the song playing was Tori Amos' "A Sorta Fairytale." (And for the record, I turned it on when I got home for lunch at 3:30. Three-freaking-thirty.)

Book challenge!

My dad was on national news last night. He was interviewed about the Iowa caucusing by Charlie Gibson for ABC World News. The segment, if slightly hokey, was still pretty cool.

I joined a book challenge on Ravelry yesterday. I set a goal to read at least 52 fiction books and and 12 non-fiction books in 2008. (One fiction a week and one non-fiction a month. Clever, I know. I got the idea from someone else in the group.) My first fiction book is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (it's a good thing re-reads and audiobooks count!) and my first non-fiction will be Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich. I bought and started it last year and, er, stopped, so I'll be starting over soon.

Dr Who scarf done!

It's officially my dad's birthday, and sure as the sky is blue, I finished the Dr Who scarf. Wanna see?



I don't have an action shot on my dad just yet, but if you want to see an action shot and a scary expression on my face, here you go.

Other than that, I've been working on my mom's Breeze socks and a little more on my Bellatrix socks. (I would have linked those to their respective Ravelry pages, but there are no photos yet, so there's no point.)

I've joined the group on Ravelry called The BobBoosters, which is kind of a warm, fuzzy, make you feel good group. I also volunteered to coordinate a Bobmas Eve party for Iowa Ravelers. Bobmas Eve is Thursday, April 10, because Ravelry was born on April 11. (For non-Ravelers, Bob is the owner of site creators Casey and Jess.)


But now I have to go deal with customers and answer phones in the front office because of some really stupid work stuff.

Oh, it's Thursday!

(Never could get the hang of Thursdays.)

Not a lot going on right now. I've been working on the Dr Who scarf, which is now up to my gallbladder scar when doubled (about 7 feet total, I think). I think I'll do a few more color sections, maybe an additional two feet or so, add the fringe and call it done. After all, my dad's birthday is Monday, and it's been a bit chilly out. I'm sure he'd enjoy a scarf to wrap up in.

I also cast on a pair of Bellatrix socks last weekend for the November Sockdown (which is on Ravelry and is something fyberduck created). I'm using the Skacel Trampoline yarn that my mom bought for me when she and dad were on holiday in Utah for their 25th anniversary. The yarn is stretchy (as the name implies) and black, purple, blue and green.

As for the needles, I'm using two new Addi lace circular needles, which I bought Saturday at my LYS. They're 9,000 times better than the inflexible Susan Bates circs I was using, though the cables are much longer and feel a little gangly. I could probably do two pairs at once on them, if I wanted. (And I might want, I might.)

That's all I know. BAS is coming to visit this weekend after All-State. Hooray! Must clean house, must clean house.

All hail the Gutterball Queen!

Hope's Divas: Medic, Darrrcy, BAS, Xa. The shirts were made by the one and only Darrrcy.

Bowling was a lot of fun. I am proclaiming myself Gutterball Queen; for the first half of the first game, I had knocked down but five pins. (Even with the help of the metal rack thing you see below, which is what the three-year-old in the next lane over was using to bowl. Pitiful.) The bowl-a-thon raised over $3,000 for the Children's Miracle Network, which is excellent. Hope's Divas provided $240 of that.


Not even the rack would keep my ball out of the gutter!

---

Also, I'm knitting socks. See?


Breeze socks!

I suspect Nargles

Hello, friends!

Harry Potter!
My brother and I hit Order of the Phoenix last night. I was late leaving work, and we got to the theater at about 11:05. I went up to the counter to get tickets, and the checker said, "We sold out three hours ago." (Meanwhile, she'd seen my dork-ass self coming to the counter wearing my Trust Snape shirt, a string of corks around my neck and some weird looking radish-like earrings, and she didn't even give me that "oh, I'm so sorry but I'm going to tell you something you don't want to hear" look.) So off we went to a theater on the other side of town, which had plenty of tickets and seats to spare. They were much more prepared, and much more cheerful. Good for them. (Good for them. Hee hee.)

The movie itself? I don't know how I feel. I don't hate it, but I don't necessarily love it. My favorite character was Luna (of course, since I kind of dressed as her). Evanna Lynch captured the "air of distinct dottiness" that the books describe Luna to have. So that I loved. That and the running joke about Nargles throughout.

Knitting!
I've been working on the Eagle's Flight socks fairly steadily — I worked on them quite a bit Saturday morning at Sister Berte's apartment before everyone woke up, Saturday evening while waiting for Joan Jett to take the stage, and last night while standing in line for the movie. By the by, the photo above is (Harlot-style) one of the socks in front of the stage at the casino. Too bad I couldn't catch the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts sign better in the background!

Between Saturday and yesterday, though, I got very distracted by the Boobholder. I'm working it out of cheap-ass yarn: two skeins of navy TLC Lustre and one of bronze for $1.99 each. Well, and I had to buy another set of needles, so $6 more for that. $12 for a project? I'll take that. By the by, I have no Boobholder pictures, as it pretty much looks like a shapeless blob on the needles.

I worked on the Boobholder Sunday night, doing a lot of the raglan shaping, and then again on Monday night, when I noticed that my increases were off on one side of one sleeve. I dropped some stitches at the mistake and picked them up. It either fixed what I'd messed up or fudged it enough that you can't tell (I think it's the latter, personally, but who's to know now? Oh yeah ... all y'all who read this). I have a few more raglan increases to make before the edges of the sleeves will join around my arms.

Otherwise, I've been spending a lot of my time on Ravelry, where I've joined a multitude of groups. So with that, I'm going to Ravel a little more.

Woo! Ravelry!

I got a surprise when I checked my email this morning ... I got invited to Ravelry! I'm pretty excited, except for one thing: I don't have internets at my house, so cataloging stuff is going to be a bit difficult.

Also, I did a bad thing. I ordered some books on the Amazon yesterday. The whole Dark is Rising sequence. And not just because there's a movie coming out, I promise. It's just that lately I've been on a kick reading series from my days in young adult literature. I love burying my nose in familiar books. (Just ask me how many times I read The Hot Zone in high school ... though it's far from being a young adult read, it's probably one of my all-time favorites.) Anyway, I at least managed to save $12 on shipping and some other random bonus, so that's good.

*pause for long break*

I've just spent a lot of time adding stuff to Ravelry. I'll have to make a spreadsheet and print it out to catalogue what I have at home. Darn. Going through yarn.