May 2011 HPKCHC Courses

From Ravelry:
Muggle Studies:
Muggle Art

• Knit, crochet, or weave an object, or spin or dye yarn inspired by any work of art ...or...
• Engage in a bit of artistic yarnstorming.
  

Potions:
The Draught of Peace

• Craft an item using 2 or more individual colours in a balanced way. (Fair Isle, intarsia, double knitting) ...or...
  
• Craft an item with 7 colour changes. (eg. striping with 2 or more colours) ...or...
  
• Overdye a commercially dyed yarn or one you dyed yourself.

Ancient Runes:
Shibboleth & Passwords

• Craft something to secure a means of communication, whether it’s a cozy for your laptop or socks to protect your feet when you go to visit a friend. ...or....
• Craft something that could serve as a shibboleth, that is, something that proves membership in a particular group (ex: the dark mark that Voldemort’s followers wore; in the Muggle world, a Red Hat for the Red Hat society; something in house colors for Hogwarts; etc.) ...or...
• Craft something with a hidden message. (You’ll have to work hard to sell this one.)

Defense Against the Dark Arts:
Kappa study

• Craft a project inspired by Mongolia or Japan, where Kappas are most commonly found. ...or...
• Craft a project that you might take to the beach on your own future vacations. ...or...
• Craft an object that represents one of your past vacations.

Astronomy:
The Asteroid Belt

• Craft something irregular. Try your hand at freeform crochet or knitting. Spin art yarn. Dye a yarn inspired by the asteroid belt. Imitate organic forms — break away from clean lines and symmetry and let your imagination free....or...
• Make a belt.

Care of Magical Creatures:
Griffin study

• Make treasure. ...or...
• Make something to keep treasure safe. ...or...
• Make something that’s a combination of the above.

Charms:
The Permanent Sticking Charm

• Craft something that represents a link between two people or locations. ...or...
• Craft something that will help you, or someone you know, be remembered after you are gone and preserve your legacy.
  

History of Magic
Wizarding Fashion and Style

• Make something to represent a Wizarding "style icon" ...or...
  
• Using the playful nature of Wizard fashions throughout history as your starting point craft something that could start a new Wizarding fashion trend.

Quidditch:

Horcruxes

Students who choose Horcruxes will be setting out to find and destroy the Horcruxes. Students will select a Horcrux from the list and craft an item that represents it. You may do one Horcrux or all of the Horcruxes, but cannot do each Horcrux more than once (because lets hope there’s just one set out there for you to destroy!).

Slytherin’s locket - Slytherin, locket/necklace, scarves/cowls, caves, zombies/Inferi, childhood, the Black family
Gaunt’s ring - family, symbols, rings, gloves/mittens
Riddle’s diary - identity, charms (as in charming someone to do something like Ginny was), anything related to a book
Hufflepuff’s cup - Hufflepuff, money, Gringott’s, things related to cups, dyed yarn! (for this Horcrux only, and if you show us you dyed it in a cup!)
Ravenclaw’s diadem - Ravenclaw. Hats. words/wisdom, intelligence, regret, room of requirement, tiaras/crowns.
Nagini - snake, animals/pets in general, familiars.
Harry Potter (and his scar!) Gryffindor. Parseltongue, something that isn’t what it seems (has a hidden feature/compartment/etc), colorwork

Hallows

The Elder Wand:

• Choose an Unstoppable Ravelry Pattern (Knitting=more than 2000 projects, Crochet = more than 900 projects).
• Make a project you’ve made before so you know you can make it again. (Provide a link to the first project page as well, if available)
• Show other ways that having the Elder Wand empowers you.

Resurrection Stone:

• Take a second attempt at making an UGH project

• Reclaim a project (UGH, unfinished or otherwise) and give the yarn a new life (before and after pictures required here, no WIP finishing allowed!) Thrifting a thrift store sweater and turning it into another project also counts here.
• Give life to a vintage pattern! (Vintage in this case = 1986 or older)
• Pay respect to a great crafter who has gone on before us. Explain when you turn in. (i.e. Elizabeth Zimmerman)
• Give a Face to a faceless Ravelry pattern by crafting a pattern that has no projects with pictures on Ravelry!

Invisibility Cloak

• Make something in House Colors to blend in among the movie goers!
  

• Make a shawl of at least 300 yards

classes posted!

YAY!
HPKCHC classes have been posted today and they all look so interesting, i am not sure what to do. they have a bumper crop of students this go round and i was sorely tempted to get more involved in leadership there. *smacks head*

so for classes, we have

herbology: research project
"Your yarn must be 50% or more from plant origin, ie. bamboo, cotton, hemp, corn. Post must contain brand and fiber content, picture of finished object, and a description of what it was like to work with and how it affects the project. Points awarded based on complexity of project, wit, originality, and evilness. (Trying to bring the evilness into Herbology. Not as easy as it seems, folks, short of having everyone knit with Devil’s Snare…)"

charms: augamenti
"a) create something water-related, be it colours, waves etc. -or -
b) create something a little more literal like a goblet, something that imitates the jets of water or a fire hose (firemen optional but welcome and yes the professor knows where some minds will take this one and that is also fine :D)"

transfiguration: blocking
"Blocking is a form of alchemical Transfiguration, that takes your knitting and crocheted items from mundane to ethereal. Your assignment this month is to knit or crochet an item, and then transfigure it, through blocking, into a work of art."

potions: common cold prevention
"Pepperup Potion - Cures the common cold. You can identify someone who has recently taken this potion by the distinctive steam coming out of their ears for several hours after drinking it. But demand has been heavier than usual this year, and supplies of Pepperup Potion are short. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Knit, crochet, or sew something to keep somebody warm."

defense against the dark arts: “What I Fought On My Summer Holidays” -
"It’s September! The month for the traditional back-to-school essay about what you did on your summer holidays. Explain and show an example of which spell you practiced, creepy creature you fought, or scary Death Eater plot you unraveled over the summer holidays. Extra points for house colors, making the prof laugh, or being especially awesome."

not sure what the quidditch challenges will be...and OWLs...well, they are still out of my league, i think.


:D

squiddy's tentacle!

When harvesting their gillweed students should pay close attention to they way bubbles of oxygen cling to its roots. This month we will be working on some new techniques for harnessing these bubbles.

Knitters and crocheters should show off some bobbles or nupps, and spinners try your hand at a slub yarn.



i posted this over at the HPKCHC in Herbology with this post:

Good evening. Professor. anguinea from Slytherin here, hoping my classwork submission will be acceptable.

After spending a full day slogging in the shallows of the lake, I found plenty of leeches (mostly on my ankles), but could not locate any gillyweed whatsoever. However, with the assistance of “a friend” who was able to move out a bit deeper into the water, I was able to locate and study the plant properly.

June's Herbology Homework

Herbology in June focused on the study of Gillyweed. Specifically, the fact that air bubbles cling to the plant, giving it a distinguishing characteristing. We were to create something with "bobbles" - a specific knitting/crochet technique (also called "popcorn") that makes a little ball-like protrusion in the fabric.

I felt it was the perfect time to blend two of my long-term series obsessions.

The following is what i submitted as my homework:
--------------------------------
Addreamy of Slytherin, signing up for Herbology and handing in my homework.

Recently, I came across a manuscript of a little-known legend pertaining to Hogwarts Lake. I cannot vouch for its veracity; I simply report here what was written there. I will say that the handwriting was rather spidery. What this might mean, I could not say. I apologize for its length, but I thought it best to reproduce it exactly:

Merchieftainess Mercus swished her tail agitatedly. “I cannot tell you, Professor Dumbledore, how important it is to remove that…..thing from the cave. Several times now, it has attempted to harpoon one of my people with its fire of light and we cannot get close enough to tend our crops properly. It is scaring the farmers to death!”

“I understand,” Dumbledore said gravely. “Has it actually hurt anyone yet?”

“No, but its mere presence is disturbing us all. I feel strongly that this sort of magic simply cannot be tolerated. Please remove it at once!” replied Mercus.

“Certainly, Merchieftainess. I will see what I can do.” And with that, Dumbledore swam off toward the deepest underground cave in the lake. If he had calculated right, he should have just enough time to surface in the air pocket before the gillyweed wore off.

Five minutes later, Dumbledore hauled himself out of the water onto a slab of well-worn rock. He quietly coughed twice as the gills on his neck receded. A quick flick of his wand produced a very soft, shielded glow – just enough to allow him to see without giving his own position away. Sure enough, he caught a glimpse of something metallic at the far end of the cavern.

Without leaving his shielded position on the slab, Dumbledore called out cheerfully, “Hello there! I must compliment you on your choice of accommodations. Quite a nice place for a retreat. However, as headmaster, I am duty-bound to welcome all visitors to Hogwarts. Don’t be shy. Come, introduce yourself!”

A whirring sound ensued, and an extremely large, ornate salt shaker glided toward him. It had odd knobbly bits on the lower half of its body, two tubes which passed for arms of a sort, and a rather stalky-looking piece on top, which swiveled around, searching for the source of the voice.

“Explain,” it said in a high-pitched, tinny voice with no inflection whatsoever.

Taking a chance, Dumbledore stood up. “I believe introductions are in order. My name is Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School, the grounds….well, undergrounds…..of which we are currently inhabiting. And you are….?” he asked.

The stalky stem appeared to scan Dumbledore up and down. “You are human,” it intoned. “You are interfering with Dalek preparations. You will be exterminated.” With that, it raised one of its appendages and pointed it straight at the headmaster.

Dumbledore flicked his wand a second time. His shield spell snapped into place just as a bolt of energy shot from the Dalek. Suddenly, the energy beam faltered, then flickered out.

“So sorry, murmured Dumbledore. “Did I neglect to mention that the magic here at Hogwarts interferes dreadfully with electronic and energy devices? I expect you are having trouble moving around, too. How careless of me to have forgotten that detail. I do hope this does not inconvenience you terribly. However, I must insist that you retreat farther back in the cavern to engage in your meditation; you are currently scaring the merpeople.”

Dispatching the Dalek into an isolated corner of the cavern, Dumbledore secured it in place and then studied the Dalek gravely. “I would hate to have you suffer unduly at our expense,” he said. “I do believe this situation calls for a Doctor. But………which doctor? Or….should I say, Doctor Who?”

Smiling slightly, Dumbledore pulled out a fresh handful of gillyweed from his robes and began chewing.

woohoo! points are in!

anguinea - 15 + 5 + 10 (you really captured the mandrake spirit) = 30

colicky mandrake!

i just turned in "colicky mandrake" for herbology class over at ravelry.
he is my own design, based on that drawing i showed you a few posts ago!
i love how he turned out.

mandrake = due next sunday!

i finally figured out how to get the head shape i wanted. it took 3 tries and the turning point was working with the rag rug i started this week. somehow, crocheting that spiral, ripping and trying again helped me get a handle on increases. or it could have been luck! either way, i have a lovely ovoid sphere waiting to be stuffed and i am now working on his little body.

here i am starting my rag rug. hardly rags, actually. i spent a chunk of change on this fabric! doh!


here is a picture of a finished rug by our instructor, maria. isn't it lovely?!

(both of these photos were taken by renée andriani)
i will post more pictures soon!

mandrake in progress

after creating and stuffing a lovely free-hand amigurumi egg shape, i decided to abandon it and totally redesign my mandrake.
here is the new sketch:


so far, i have two leaves done:

the yarn i am using for leaves is a caron super soft shadows in a nice slytherin green with coloured flecks.

it makes a super soft little floppy leaf!

Ravelry Harry Potter House Cup

we both joined the challenge as members of slytherin and i must say the folk i have met over there so far are both charming and hilarious! the classes have begun, but i only signed up for the herbology class, so far. the challenge is to create a mandrake or mandrake inspired piece...or a baby blanket for a mandrake! the little mandrakes i saw turned in so far have been very cute!

i printed off a bunch of basic amigurumi shape patterns from this blog hoping it will help me designing my mandrake. i admit, the quality over at ravelry is a bit intimidating for a n00b like myself!