My Toe Up Adventure

I have started on my second shawl, "Percy." It was part of a KAL with some fellow HSKSers. I'm using my Sweeney Todd yarn from the Nefarious club. The project got named "Ozymandias, King of Kings" from Percy Bysshe Shelley's Ozymandias. It's really VERY VERY pretty so far. The charts are in tiny print and one is patterned on both the RS and the WS so I'm moving a lot slower through that chart than I normally would, but I have really flew through most of it and, I think, that it's looking beautiful. In addition to starting another shawl, (I am now a lace and shawl addict!) I decided to attempt my first pair of toe up socks, encouraged by Ronni. This is my progress since Monday night. I am pretty thrilled with the socks. And I was surprisingly shocked at how amazingly easy toe-up is! WOW! Thankfully Ronni was able to give me some tips and links to help me get started. Where would I be with out my best friend? (((Awwwwww....)))

Yarn balled, Pattern Printed

Cast-on and the first few rows

Progressing up the foot

Pattern: Sprucey Lucy by Wendy Johnson
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR
Colorway: Lucy
I named them "Pork and Beans" after one of my favorite Weezer songs... I promise if you read or just know the lyrics you'll see why. Also the song has been stuck in my head ALL WEEK. ;)

My first installment of the "potter covers" yarn, and what to do?

The first installment of my potters covers yarn came Wednesday... I've been swamped with school and swim team drama, so I've not had a chance to post. I love it. The colors match perfectly. She even wrapped it in coordinating tissue paper. The second thing I did after opening the package was take the first book off the shelf to compare the colors. (The first thing was to read the pattern. I was excited to see what was picked for inspiration. I thought 'Hedwig' was a good pick too.) It's so pretty. The pattern seems simple enough. I actually pulled my knitpicks dpns out so that I could immediately start knitting it, but then I remembered all of my upcoming exams and decided to study instead. I intend on starting the socks immediately after the last exam finishes. School can be such a killjoy.

I took a close up picture of the cover art next to the yarn, just to prove how well the colors match.

I am a little torn though. I was going to start knitting the pattern and the socks that came in my kit from HSKS3... but I got so excited with this new yarn that I sort of mentally put them on hold... I'll figure it out.

Logan's hat should be finished this weekend, and I'll have pictures and more on that later.

I've not had a good day at all....

However I finished my package for Cynthia, and should be able to send it off tomorrow afternoon, as long as nothing gets screwed up. I'm excited to send it off, and even more excited to see what she thinks of it. Here's the teaser picture... (also posted in the HSKS3 blog):
I made progress on Logan's Jayne hat, only to have to rip it out... I was making it to fit loose on my head, Logan's head is quite larger than mine, apparently. And since the hat itself is supposed to be a loose fit, I have to start over....

I'm going to go and get that re-started and go to bed early.

I got my swap package!

My package from my swap cam today! YAY! My favorite part of the whole thing was this line from her note "your yarn is from a German Co. that I can't say..." HAHAHA! I love it. (I'm not poking fun, though, because I can't say it either. :/) The box got a little banged up in the post, so the pattern, and the note were all crinkled, but everything was in one piece. I was very excited and happy to have this waiting for me when I got home... I spent all day running errands.

I love everything in the box. I can't wait to start knitting the socks!

There's the German yarn whose name is un-pronounceable, an incredibly soft knitted bag, which is perfect for carrying everything around. Crystal Palace bamboo needles size one, which I'm happy to try out. I've been wanting to try bamboo needles, but I was afraid I would break them. These seem really sturdy though. The pattern came from Mountain Colors where everything is inspired by the northwest... which is neat because I'm sick of southwest patterns. (just joking, although, I'm not a fan of most "southwestern" things). And some pretty awesome stitch markers. And there were so goodies in there as well.

Blech...

I've not been having the best of days. And for the the second time I have to restart my knitted bag for the swap. (Sorry, Cynthia)... The first time, was my own fault... The second time is a disaster. Oh well. I'll get it done while I watch Grey's Anatomy season 3 tonight. YAY! for getting that in the mail. I can't help loving that show. It's a guilty pleasure, I know it's dumb, but it makes me happy... Anyway back to knitting... I'm excited that Jennifer D. has already sent my package out, and even more excited to receive it. (But that also makes me feel even worse that I have to restart the bag for my swap.) The only other knitted thing I've done anything with is casting on for Logan's Jayne hat. I was going to get that done pretty quick, but then disaster struck with the bag for my swap... When it's finished, I'm positive that he'll model for pictures... And my younger brother Logan is very fun for picture taking.

I'm off to watch Grey's and get some progress on the knitted bag.

HSKS3 - Quidditch Round 1

1. Who is the Hogwarts teacher that Voldermort performed the Avada Kedavra curse on in Deathly Hallows?
a. Mad Eye Moody
b. Charity Burbage
c. Irma Pince
d. Quirenius Quirrell

2. Who replaces the Muggles studies teacher in Deathly Hallows?
a. Charity Burbage
b. Irma Pince
c. Alecto Carrow
d. Dilys Dirwent

3. When Harry meets Mr. Olivander for the first time, which wand law is introduced?
a. Wands cannot be shared.
b. Spells can be worked with any want.
c. The wand chooses the wizard.
d. Only one wand will work properly for a wizard.

4. According to Mr. Ollivander, what is not necessary to take true possession of another wizard's wand?
a. to kill the owner
b. one cannot take possession of another wizard's wand
c. to force the wand away from it's owner
d. to ask the owner politely

5. If you know anything about Harry Potter, you will know that Harry's Patronus is a stag. But what is his best friend Ron Weasley's Patronus?
a. Otter
b. Owl
c. Weasel
d. Jack Russell Terrier

6. Now for the third member of the trio. What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?
a. Otter
b. Kneazle
c. Tabby Cat
d. Beaver

7. What did Mrs. Weasley make to eat the first night that Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place?
a. Stew
b. Goulash
c. Roast beef
d. Ham and chicken pie

8. In book 5, at the start of term feast, what is Ron eating when trying to talk to Nearly Headless Nick?
a. Treacle tart
b. Pork chop
c. Roast potato
d. Cottage pie

9. A half-giant called Rubeus Hagrid takes you to Diagon Alley for the first time. To get there, you go into the courtyard of a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. There, Hagrid taps a certain brick on the courtyard wall three times with his pink umbrella, revealing the entrance to Diagon Alley. As he decides which brick to tap, he mutters instructions to himself. What instructions does he mutter?
a. Third brick from the left above the dustbin
b. ‘Three up... two across
c. Three down ... four across
d. Four up ... three across

10. The first place you go in Diagon Alley is Gringotts bank, where you can withdraw money from your vault and Hagrid can withdraw a top-secret package from Vault No. 713 on Dumbledore’s orders. On the second set of doors leading into the bank you notice a poem written. These are the first two lines:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
What is the next line?
a. For you’ll pay dearly in your turn
b. So if you seek beneath our floors
c. Thief, you are being warned, bewared.
d. ‘For those who take, but do not earn

Picture Scavenger Hunt

Rolanda Hooch
Firenze
Argus Filch
Moaning Myrtle
Colin Creavey

Almost finished!

I've gotten pretty much everything together for my swap. I just made the stitch markers. I think that they turned out very well. I just need to finish knitting the bag and then I'm all set. Which is good, because school is about to get insanely busy and hard.

The good, the bad and the unfinished

The good: My HSKS3 kit
I started the bag for my kit today. I'm really excited about it. I had the yarn for it already... Some of it was just scraps, so it took awhile for me to scrap a pattern together. I've ordered yarn and needles, and picked out a pattern for the socks. I've even gotten a couple of extra goodies. I just need to make some stitch markers and I'll have everything. I'd like to post some pictures, but the bag is barely started, and I don't want to ruin the element of surprise.
Both my downstream and upstream partner are excellent. (I even got a sneak peak!)


The bad and the unfinished: My Stupid Socks
In other knitting news: I will most likely frog and never finish my chesire cat socks. I hate striping. If I finish the sock I'm currently working on, I'll never make another. Basically I cannot see the point of finishing. Plus it's rarely very cold in Vegas. I have heavy socks for my coaching when I am outside the whole 2-5 weeks of really miserable weather that we have. And I already have slippers for the house. I rarely wear socks around the house to keep my feet warm, I wear my slippers... All of this babbling = me not ever finish the socks, and I will most likely be frogging them and starting a new pair that I can get really excited about.

HSKS3

I've talked to both of my partners already.

I'm really excited to get this project underway. I've got most of my package mentally prepared for sending. I've just got to get a hold of a few things...

HSKS3 Questionairre

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into?
Ravenclaw

2. List your favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length. Or would you prefer circulars?
Susan Bates Silvalume (7") (I have 2 sets in order to have 5+ needles) & Knitpicks (6") - size 2

3. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length?
Sure, I would love to. I've never used bamboo needles (except in larger sizes) or and wood ones. I'm afraid that they would break though, I knit very tightly

4. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference?
I prefer book colors, but it's not a strong preference. I think both are lovely.

5. Do you have any allergies?
Not to anything concerning knitting...

6. If you are swapping scarves - what is your desired length for the pattern? This will help your partner find the pattern that is just right for you and buy yarn accordingly.
N/A