Updates: A new yarn, a new swap, and an old hobby makes a comeback

I've graduated college, FINALLY. I have been the busiest I think I ever was in the last few weeks. It was not my best semester grades-wise, but I'm done. I'm finished and I passed everything, and that is what really counts in the long run.

A LONG time ago during all of my craziness of graduating and having a grad party and finals and .... so on and so forth I got the second installment of the Nefarious club. It's Mme. Defarge, who is a character in a Charles Dickens book. (I can't remember which, a Tale of Two Cities maybe. I've never read Dickens, and I've never really wanted too.) Despite that I've never read the book, and I don't care for Charles Dickens the yarn is absolutely beautiful, as always. 

I joined HSKS5, which I wasn't sure I was going to do. Mainly because I was so busy I couldn't see myself having the time, but then I realized, DUH, most of the swap takes place after school is finished. So I can totally do it. I switched houses and went down the dark side (but not really). I'm slytherin this time instead of Ravenclaw. I like my partners they both seem rather nice. My spoilee in particular is awesome. I've sent her a large amount of emails.  She's actually my age, which is pretty cool. (So for the duration of HSKS5, if I haven't blogged a lot it's because I'm using my "character blog" dobbysmyhero.)

The last thing I've started doing is making row counter bracelets. When I was younger I loved beading, so I have TONS of supplies for and I kept seeing the bracelets and thinking they were cute, so I decided to make some of my own. I have a slytherin colored one, which I believe is rather large and a ravenclaw one that I made, but put one too many "1" beads. I'll probably do something to fix the two of them, but I am rather impressed with the results. 

I think that I'll be trying to make some more too. Although I need more elastic for the little beaded rings, I'm out of the tinier clear kind and the white that I have is just too bulky. I had to use it for the slytherin bracelet and I can't say that I liked it. It works and it's functional, but not nearly as pretty as I would like. I also made a gorgeous Gryffindor colored one for my spoilee, but I'm not posting it so that she gets to be surprised. (There are pictures on y Flikr account though... if anyone is clever enough to get there to see the pictures I won't care.)

I also finished my pink scrunchable scarf about a month ago. Not in time for my trip to San Francisco, like I wanted, but it's done it time for the 90+ degree heat. (I'm joking, obviously.) I'll have to wait until next winter to wear the scarf. It's very beautiful though... Pictures are on my raverly account. I'm having some uploading issues today.

My Newest Yarns!

Here are my newest yarns... I didn't need more, but I bought some anyways. I got a hold of some Noro, because it seems everyone raves about so I thought I'd try it out. I like the coloring, but I'll have to see how it knits up. There's also tons of sock yarn (mostly knitpicks, but I ordered a skein of the ravenclaw colors from dharmafey's cosmic fibers), some lion brand novelty yarns (fun fur for my furry slippers and some more ribbon yarn), malarbrigo merino chunky, and cascade 220 (in hufflepuff colors).

I also signed up for the potter covers sock yarn club, and the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 3.

I am positive that I now have enough yarn and projects to keep me very very busy. No more yarn shopping until my current stash is at least dented.

I'm planning on using the rest of this evening to work on my socks. I'm hoping to get the at least the heel done by the end of the week. I did a swatch to kind of get a gauge for my wrist warmers, but I'm wondering if I should knit them kind of like I would knit socks and use smaller needles. I'm not sure. They are definitely still in the "draft phase" of project making. (Meaning they'll stay on my brain at all times, until I figure out what to do.)

Ginny GoF inspired hat COMPLETED

I finished my Ginny inspired GoF hat. (As previously mentioned) I love it. I know that it isn't an exact replica of the movie hat but I absolutely adore it. It fits me perfect and looks just the way I wanted it too. I used Malabrigo Merino chunky in "tiger lily" for the hat and used a strand of Lion Brand Landscapes in "pastel meadow" and Malabrigo Merino worsted in "cactus flower" (my personal favorite yarn) to thread through the eyelet rounds. It's not absolutely perfect, but it was what I wanted. The variegations and chunky weight add to the "Weasley-ness" of the hat, I think. I really am very proud of how this hat turned out. Here are some more pictures, and then after the pictures I'll post my pattern. When it came to the decreases, I just did what looked right and what seem to fit my numbers. So my pattern may not be axact when it gets to that point.

And here is my pattern:

needles: size 10.5 16" circular needles, and size 10.5 double points during decreases
yarn: Malabrigo Merino Chunky in tiger Lily (MC), Lion Brand Landscapes in pastel meadow (cc1), and Malabrigo Merino worsted in cactus flower (cc2)
any chunky weight will work for the hat (MC) and any scrap yarn can be used for the bows and accents

Cast on 72 (I used the cable cast on)
K1P1 rib for 6 rounds
eyelet round #1(*k3 k2tog yo* repeat between the *s)
knit 6 rounds
purl 2 rounds
knit 6 rounds
eyelet round #2 (*k2tog yo k3* between the *s)
knit 6 rounds
purl 2 rounds
knit 6 rounds
eyelet round #1 (*k3 k2tog yo* repeat between the *s)
start decreases:
*k10 k2tog* repeat between the *s
*k9 k2tog* repeat between the *s
*k8 k2tog* repeat between the *s
knit 1 round
purl 2 rounds
*k6 k2tog* (repeat between the *s) k2tog the last 2 stitches
*k2tog k2* (repeat between the *s) k2tog k2tog the last 4 stitches
eyelet round #3 (*K2tog k2tog yo* repeat between the *s)
k2tog until only 6 sts remain, break yarn and thread through the top
thread yarn through the eyelets, add a bow at the bottom tier

My ever-growing yarn stash and knitting bag

I just bought 7 more skeins of cascade 220 (in maize and black, I needed some hufflepuff yarn) and 1 skein of Malabrigo Chunky, but this is what my stash currently looks like. Just wanted to add that more was coming...

First I have the Plymouth Encore in 2 colors (dark forest green and dark grey) that I'm using for Luke's slytherin scarf, I bought more than the pattern called for in order to make a matching hat and other things. I also have some cascade cloud 9 in color 112 (one of the discontinued colors) that I bought at the same time from yarn.com. Both were on sale. I am actually going to buy more of the cloud 9 and then knit 2 colors at the same time into a mock-cable scarf. When I get around to it.

Then I have the yarn that I bought at last weekends trip to the LYS, Gail Knits. Where I bought 4 skeins of Adrienne Vittadini Emma. It's a cotton/viscose/silk blend yarn. I bought three in a turquoise color (color #94) and one in a purple color (color #91). I loved the purple, but there was only one left. I snatched it up. I might try and find more of it. I also got one skein of GGH Vamos. It, like the purple, only had one left so I snatched it. I have no clue what I will do with either of these yarns.

I also picked up quite the collection of acrylic yarn also during my weekend shopping trip. (Fiber snobbery aside, I really like some of the nicer acrylics, and they're machine washable which is always a bonus.) There's also some ribbon yarn, I think I may try to make a drop stitch scarf with. They look easy enough to do and are very pretty.

I've also got a shoe box full of yarns that are left over from other projects. Not enough for a project themselves, but too much yarn to just throw out. This collection of yarns has actually come in handy quite a few times.

Then I have a box with 4 skeins of Bernat Masala, 2 of each color: tidal tones and hyacinth hues. There's also 3 skeins of a black 100% cotton yarn, a small skien of black free trade yarn that Aynsley bought in New York. 3 skeins of wool-ease: one in oxford grey, 2 in peacock. Also there's some pink eyelash yarn that Aynsley won on ebay. I've not clue what to do with the eyelash yarn.

Then I have my collection of Malabrigo Merino Worsted. This is absolutely my favorite yarn. It's the yarn that made me see how much better nice yarns are than the cheaper acrylics. I have several different colors. I'm planning on doing my ravenclaw scarf when I get around to it in this yarn (roanoke for the bronze, and azul profundo for the blue). I also might use the tiger lily color for my Ginny Weasley inspired hat.

I have 2 balls that I just wound up yesterday of Cascade 220 in color 9404 (ruby) which was bought because I planned to do the hatmione and matching mittens out of it. (Because that's the recommended color that matches the movie.) I'm think I might do it out of the Jewel Blue Malabrigo that I have instead now. I'm not sure though.I have 10 skeins of chenille that I've bought and yet to use. I have several ideas for it, but haven't put any to the test. This yarn is a bit difficult to knit because of shredding.Lastly I have my collection of Brown Sheep Lambs Pride bulky in several colors. (Including colors to create a couple more Jayne hats.) I also in this picture have several balls of navy wool. I use that wool for simple/test projects.


I also took pictures of my new knitting bag because I was feeling camera crazed and I love this new tote bag!