Blog and Houses Lurker

I feel like I've been a lurker in my own blog this week, so I guess it's time to post something new. I've been taking a little bit of a break from knitting after finishing all my projects for 3 classes, Quidditch, and Hogsmeade weekend this month. It's the shortest month of the year and I crammed so much into it! And by "taking a break" I mean working on the scarf I started because that will take a while, going to the library to look at books about things I want to learn (sock knitting, toe-up socks, crochet, lace on a larger scale), planning an OWL, and stalking the Ravelry forums. So not really a break at all...

I'm loving the NQFY (Not Quite First Year) forum for HPKCHC (Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup) a little bit more every day, and I'll miss the familiar faces when/if I'm sorted next term. I've been looking at the Houses a lot more since Hogsmeade, when each House hosted a few events and allowed us to participate. At first I had Slytherin as third, but they've climbed up to number 2 since I've had more time to look at the threads. I think of myself as a Gryffinclaw, or Ravenclaw that desperately wants to be a Gryffindor. The HPKCHC houses aren't like their book/film counterparts though, and that took me a little time to get used to. My current preference is as follows:

1. Gryffindor (They have Chocolate Frog Cards. Until another House does something like this, they will be number 1.)
2. Slytherin (used to be Ravenclaw #2, but they don't have as many challenges AKA badges)
3. Ravenclaw (have more events and I'll love you more!)
4. Hufflepuff (Nobody wants to be a Hufflepuff. Sorry. Can't say it on Ravelry, so I have to say it here.)

Hogsmeade Weekend

I was planning on being super busy this weekend for Hogsmeade Weekend, but a stomach virus had other plans for me. =( I managed to get a lot of the stuff done before it hit, but now I'm wondering if I feel well enough to work on some stuff today. I've already gotten a ton of badges, but I want more!! Hopefully I'll be doing the KAL today if I feel up to it.

Badges so far...

        

Big Spender!

So... I've blown $150 on Knit Picks in the past few days. I think I have a problem! =P

I had already ordered $100, but then I ran out of the yarn I needed to finish my hat. So to get free shipping, of course I had to order $50 more! I've stocked up on 16" nickel plated circulars (which are so much better than the aluminum ones in craft stores) and yarn, including a lot of pretty colors that were being discontinued (and were on sale!). I also picked up Extreme Double Knitting, which I've been eyeballing for a while. I want to learn double knitting, and it seems to have a lot of practical uses for the skill instead of using it frivolously.

One box has already arrived, and I'm anxiously awaiting the next!

Indecision Leads to New Decisions

I got bored with my scarf (as I predicted I would), so I decided to use the other half of the yarn from my Hermione hat to make... Another Hermione hat! I added a couple of rows of ribbing at the bottom because I felt like the first one was just a teeny bit short on my head. I hope I don't run out of yarn for this one, but I'm about to place another Knit Picks order so I could always bail myself out if need be. I've ordered about $50 worth of stuff from there already this week, so another $50 order wouldn't hurt, right? ;)

I'm excited about doing this pattern again. I liked it, and now it's familiar so I hope it will go by fast!

Look familiar?

Rainy Friday Part II

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I've been working on my scarf on and off all day to take my mind off of the doom and gloom outside. At first, I didn't think I'd like the colors I chose together, but I have the yarn and I've changed my mind a million times already so I just went with it. I think they're growing on me. I'm using Vanna's Choice yarn in Colonial Blue and Red Heart in Light Grey. The colors are muted versions of blue and grey, so I feel like they fit the weather well today. This scarf is based off of a pattern for the early Harry Potter movies, but I like it because it's a basic striped scarf and in these colors no one will ever really know. The blue almost makes the grey look white, which I think will be a really cool effect when it's finished.

The bottom keeps rolling up and driving me crazy!

Yarn used:

  

Rainy Friday

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It's been raining so far all day today, so not much is going on. The most exciting part of my day so far has been watching the birds playing in the puddles.

I've started a scarf because I basically have nothing else more exciting to do. It will probably take forever, so it will end up being a Detention project for HPKCHC. Maybe I'll wait to finish it until I get sorted so at least I get points for it! That is, unless an interesting badge comes along... ;)

Yarn used:

  

Lost

I need something to do for me. I have all this yarn, but I can't seem to find anything to do with it (especially since my selection of knitting needles is extremely limited). I went to Walmart today for a super necessary grocery stop and hoped to pick up some needles to knit a bunch of 8x8 squares with leftover yarn, but of course they're out of the one size I wanted. My Walmart karma works that way every time.

I thought about making a scarf on a pair of 16" circulars, but I'm not sure I want it to be 8" wide. So for now I'm stuck in limbo with nothing to do while I'm sitting around the house. And I need something to do around the house!! That's the only thing that keeps me from boarding the crazy train and chugging along to insanity. Ok, rant over. Don't want to depress the masses. =P

Seriously though, if you know a great pattern that uses worsted weight yarn or very limited amounts of sport yarn, leave me a comment. I'm looking around on Pinterest for something to catch my eye.

Anger Makes the Heart Grow... Something

Today has been frustrating to the max, so of course I finished my hat today. I think knitting is the only thing right now that is keeping me (slightly) sane. I'm glad I finished because I got a badge and contest entry from HPKCHC for completing the hat this early! I bungled the top a bit, but it was my first attempt at cables in a hat so I guess I can't be too hard on myself. The top is very pretty, so mine is kinda pretty I guess. ;)

I'm not sure what I'm going to do next because my stash of needles and yarn is lacking. I think I'll use my fancy rosewood needles (even though they're too long) and some leftovers to make the squares I've been looking at. Then one day I'll have to learn to make them all into a blanket.

Update

I've been bad about posting the last couple of days, but it's been really busy around here. I can't say much tonight because I need to get to bed, but the hat is coming along nicely and I wanted to post a picture of all my successful cables while I was on a laptop. I use my iPad most of the time, and some features like uploading pictures don't work so well. =(

Quickie

I'm up way past my bedtime, and I'm in for a looong day tomorrow, so I'll keep this short. I've done my first cable twists and they're not hard at all! Yay! I've gotten through the ribbing and almost the whole chart for the hat (the chart repeats 4.8 times before the decreases), so I'm a little bit in and hoping to find a lot more time to knit in the next couple of days. JIMMY BUFFETT TOMORROW!!!

I have no idea why this is sideways. The image file is right side up on my computer.

February is here!

I'm so ready for February. I get to see Jimmy Buffett on the 2nd and that will probably be the highlight of my month. Things are about to get really dull around here...

I was hoping the February classes for the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup would be up at midnight, but I guess I might be a tad overeager. I'm starting a hat anyways and hoping it will fit one of the prompts. I'm just desperate for something to do, I guess. This will be my first experience with cables, lace, sport weight yarn, and tiny needles so it should be an adventure! At least the chart is easy and shouldn't confuse me. The skills involved might though!