S.P.E.W.

Yay for hats!!! My hat for the duel was quite a hit! :) I really enjoyed making it, too, so when Ophelia Crookshanks of Slytherin said she thought it'd look good in pink (incidentally her favorite color and my least favorite color, yet the color of yarn that seems to rule my stash...), I took up the mandate at once! :) That one got done just as fast as the green one for Elladora (who is actually in Hufflepuff, not Slytherin...she just likes greens...) and turned out looking great too, despite my dislike for the color.



Then the discussion of the hat bracket came up in the dueling club. A few of the crocheters were surprised to discover that the last round in the bracket is knit, even though I know that our coordinator specified that on more than one occasion. But their concern reminded me that I'm still pretty new to knitting. I've only just finished my first knit hat. So I've come to the decision that after I finish the hat for the present duel, I'm also going to do the knit one for the practice. Just in case I make it to the last bracket. I'd rather be prepared for it and not make it than to make it and then be in trouble with my less-than-stellar knitting abilities! I've decided that I'm going to send the hats to my own small part of S.P.E.W. October is breast cancer awareness month, so I think that all the excess hats I make I'm going to find people that have lost their hair due to chemotherapy to send them to. The first hat has cables, and that's something I've never tried before. I was a little nervous at first, but I watched a tutorial on knittinghelp.com, and WOW! I laughed at my apprehension. It's so easy. It's definitely slow going, due to both my lack of knitting experience and my two little resident poltergeists that aren't content unless they're causing trouble...but if I make it to the knitting of hats in the duels, I may have a fighting chance...so long as the poltergeists aren't anywhere around...lol

And on a happier note, I'm am very pleased to say that my owl stepped up to the plate and took off with his package for Miss Elladora...here's hoping my hat gets there before hers gets to me!!! ::crosses fingers::

Picture Day!

What a weekend at Hogwarts! Unfortunately, I overslept this morning due to overexerting myself with lessons and checking in on Professor Whitmarsh. ::sigh:: Er, I mean, uh, he's okay now. When Wisteria came hobbling into the common room the other day with a broken foot, all of us Ravenclaws were concerned and dropped what we were doing to help her out. It wasn't until I was helping her to Madame Pomfrey for something to ease the pain that Emma Wigworthy inquired as to how active she was getting with our newest addition to the staff that I even thought to check in on him. He seemed a bit fazed and a little incoherent, but better after he took a short nap. I asked him what happened and...well...I just can't repeat it. It wouldn't be right. (Have I mentioned at all that I embarrass and blush very easily?) So unless you're satisfied with knowing that a form of ::ahem:: acrobatics, non-verbal spells and wands were used, you'd better either ask Miss Wisteria or the prof yourself!!! ::blushing at the remembrance of the information divulged::

What with the excitement of the weekend and the first duel, I missed this year's picture taking! So I'm going to hand over a picture from about a year or two ago...I hope it'll suffice!

In other (much more depressing) news...the first duel in the dueling club was yesterday. That's not the depressing part. I was teamed up with a very capable first year from Hufflepuff (also, not the depressing part) and got the hat done in 2 hours! (Nope, still not it.) I set it up to go out with the owl post as soon as it was available, since all the owls were currently out, and when I woke up (here it comes) my package was still where I left it sitting!!! I'd left it somewhere it was bound to be seen, and I can't figure out why it didn't go out! It stinks for me, because all the owls are presently sleeping, and I have no way to get up the owlery anyway today. Too busy with classes and schoolwork and S.P.E.W.! I hope I don't die as a result of a particular owl's incompetence!!! But here's what it looks like:

Elladora saw it and loves it! :) Yay! But now that I have a couple of minutes (unfortunately not enough time to run to the owlery and make it to my next class on time), I'm going to sit here and mope about the possibility of dying in my duel!

Sock it to me...Again!

Wow! I'm so proud of me! I've finished my first pair of socks!



I really and truly was intending to go to sleep at a decent time last night...but I ended up going to the party in the Great Hall and stayed later than I should have and chatted it up with Arriana about the benefits of joining the duel club and then I was waiting to see if Rowena was going to need someone to chat with in the wee hours of the morning...but then, we all know those are just excuses. The real problem came about when I started in the toe. Once I did that, it was doomed for me to stay up until 2 am finishing the socks...I wanted to make sure I ended on a row that I could remember the number of stitches I needed to make before the decrease, and then, I was so close, why not just finish it? But I'd miscounted, and then I was so close I may as well finish...and so it went all night. Good thing Rowena didn't need to chat! It was all I could do to keep going to finish the socks without talking to someone! I probably would've gotten done sooner if not for my chatting in the Great Hall and having a butterbeer constantly in my hand...

I originally picked out that yarn for a pair of socks for myself, but only bought one small skein from that dye lot, so I ended up making them for my resident poltergeist...I swear he's Peeves incarnate! In fact, I have the photos of his handiwork (in my craft room, no less!) to prove it...I just have to find them...I bet he got a hold of them...I wonder where they went...Hmmm...

Wow! Look at the time! I have to go! It's time for my S.P.E.W. awareness contributions! I get to help clean some of the kitchens (though that took the headmistress stepping in to convince the elves to let me pitch in!), one of the lesser used dorms, and, lastly, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom! I'm armed with muggle cleaning supplies and ready to go!

Sock it to me...

Wow! I can't believe it! I'm over halfway done with my first pair of socks! I finished the first one yesterday between Transfiguration and Herbology (as Tranfiguration homework!), and I doubt there are many people in the world that got as excited as I did to be halfway done with something! LOL I'd completed my first-ever sock, but was only halfway done with the pair. Once that realization set in, though, I quickly whipped the needles back out to finish it! I bet I'll be doubly excited once I'm done with the second one! I'm actually quite proud of how the first one turned out...




It's a little bit big on him, but I'm okay with that, surprisingly...Probably due to the fact that I now have an excuse to make a second pair (that's shorter in the foot) and because he will grow into them and they'll fit him in time. :) His poor other foot, though! It looks so sad to not have a sock on it!

I started the second sock last night after lessons and before I started my Ancient Runes homework, which is a shocker in and of itself, though it does show how much I want to get these done! At first, I made myself scoot off to bed after I was 4 (of the 20) rows into the heel, but I took my knitting with me to have nearby, and it turned out to be a good thing! Poor Rowena is a fitful sleeper, so when she woke up and needed company with a conscious person, I was able to whip out the rest of the heel before we both hit the hay! :) Now that I'm up for the day and have some time before Potions, I think I'm going to keep at it...

Getting to know Hermione Bagnold...

Potter Name: Hermione Bagnold
Rav ID: smileynetta
I am allergic to: oh boy.......smoke, animal dander (most especially cats), dust, mold, mildew, pollen, 100% wool (I seem to be okay w/wool blends, though), and Dr. Pepper!
Pets that I have: 2-year-old and 3-year-old boys....lol (Hey, they could qualify as pets! LOL)
My favorite yarn: Honestly, I have delved very little into the different yarns, so I have yet to find a favorite. But I would love to try something new apart from Red Heart!
If you are a Ravenclaw, do you prefer the film colors or the book colors? Originally, I was all for the movie colors, but have since embraced my inner-Ravenclaw and actually like the book colors, so long as a good bronze can be found and is paired with a navy blue...
My favorite flavor: it tends to change, but right now either pumpkin or orange
My favorite holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas): Christmas
I would like to receive a (Sock kit, scarf kit or yarn dyeing kit): sock or scarf, please! :)
List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length: Once again, I've experimented little in this area and would be thrilled to try something new...I recently bought a set of bamboo circs and would love to try more bamboo...
Is there a brand that you are dying to try?: Hahaha, I'm ahead of the game here! Check my last answer...
I've participated in HSKS (How many times have you participated in HSKS swaps?): This is my first time! :)
Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day?: Incidentally, I do. October 17th. :)