Project 35: The Golden Snitch

This project was completed in May 2011.

In the HPKCHC this term, Quidditch was split into four quaffle matches between houses in May and later hallows or horcruxes in June and July.  The first quaffle match was to make a golden snitch.

Near instant geeky gratification!

Pattern: The Golden Snitch by Melissa Mall (free pattern)

Yarn: Stitch Nation Full o' Sheep in honeycomb and Red Heart Super Saver in soft white, roughly 15 yards total.

Needles: Boye crochet hook, size G (4 mm)

Rav page

Mods: None that I can recall!

April Stashdown Report

April was busy - I only finished one project. But I did sell off some stash on Ravelry!

And I got some very pretty stash additions.

Younger Yarn Sexy String in Alice Longbottom 430 yards



Younger Yarn Fiber 100% Punta Wool in Daydream Believer



Younger Yarn Fiber of the Month Club for April 2011 - Superfine merino in "Sidewalk Chalk"



Wollmeise Sockenwolle 80/20 Twin in Pfauenauge (peacock) and Petit Poison No. 5 medium - a "We're Different" grab bag. 1020 yards total



And last but not least, Alina Shea Creations yarn club April 2011 - Yin and Yang base (50merino/50silk) in "A Year Ago".  I only got one skein, but purchased one of the extras she put up for sale in May (so I get to confess about this one twice...) 430 yards



So much yarn, so little time.

Project 34: Lehmus-Huivi

This project was finished in April 2011.

The second leaf shawl component of my Nerd Wars dissertation was the Lehmus-huivi shawl, a pattern that had been translated from the original Finnish.

I'm not sure if this is a pattern modification or a mistake that I corrected, but I kept the three edge stitches on both sides and the band across the top at the bindoff in garter stitch throughout.  I found the chart a little confusing on those points, and garter stitch works!  So that is what I did.  I think it worked.

See?



I gave it sunlight and watered it regularly, and it grew into this!





Pattern: Lehmus-huivi (free pattern available in Finnish and English on the designer's website)

Yarn: Left Coast Yarns Merino/Nylon 80/20 blend in Forbidden Forest, 396 yards of a 400 yard skein



Needles: Size 6 (4.0mm) Knit Picks Options nickle-plated interchangeables

Rav page

Mods: I used fingering weight yarn and larger needles than the pattern indicated for a shawlette. Also, the chart only prints with the Finnish directions, and there is a small error in the chart that is corrected in the English instructions.  If you can get as far as I did in that first swatch, you've got it made.

March Stashdown Report

Yes, yes I am aware that it is currently July.  I'm catching up here as best I can...

Here's what I finished in March!






And the lovely yarn I brought home in March:



This is 440 yards from Kara (dnatheory) who was my upstream swapper for the Staff Swap last term.  She dyed it herself!  Isn't it lovely?



This is Alina Shea Creations Shmerino in Whispers of Spring, the yarn club shipment for March 2011.

And just before month's end, I was given a gift pattern on Ravelry for Cassidy, a cabled sweater in worsted weight.  I wanted to start it for my Spring11 OWL in Herbology, so I needed to find appropriate yarn quickly.  I mentioned in the Stash Knit Down group that I was not finding anything good in the stash and what I was looking for just in case someone had what I needed... and KarinMT (of The Periwinkle Sheep) had just the thing!



Seven skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash, ready to go live at my house.  We met at a grocery store we both frequent and made our swap.

I made some great stuff in March and got some lovely yarn as well, but the best part of March was that it was the first month since I started tracking my yarn yardage in and out in January 2010 that I finally managed to have more yards out than in.  The net decrease was over 1600 yards! I am moving in the right direction!!

WIP Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Behold, the triumphant return of WIP Wednesday!  Here's a quick look at what I've got going today.



A sweater blocking in pieces while I finish the second sleeve! I'm trying to get it finished by this weekend.

Project 32 and 33: More Quidditch Hats!

On the last day of the Winter11 HPKCHC term, I finished up two more charity hats for Quidditch.  This time I pulled out all my wool scraps and worked on making scrappy but fabulous hats.

Errrr.  Well.  They look better in person.

This one used up as many blues and purples as I could coordinate together - lots of my little bits and bobs of dyeing practice over the years:



and this one got pinks and earth tones:



To turn them in on time, I was up late and the camera was not cooperating so we got camera phone pictures. But, I managed to make two impressively not ugly in person hats using up roughly 435 yards of yarn that will warm some heads on the other side of the world.

Project 31: Emily Shawl

This project was finished in March 2011.

I love how this shawl came out.  It's an unusual construction, which is how it became part of my Nerd Wars dissertation last spring.  The yarn is a silky, drapey thing that I only regret I do not have more of. It blocked nicely and looks great as a yarn and pattern match.  I almost - almost! - wish I hadn't given it away!






Pattern: Emily Shawl by Mandy Moore, published in Knitscene Winter/Spring 2010

Yarn: Alina Shea Creations Grassy Feet (65% superwash wool, 35% bamboo) in Summer Fun, the June 2010 yarn club offering



Needles:  Size 7 Knit Picks Options nickle-plated interchangeables

Yardage: 324 yards

Rav page

Mods: none

I enlisted the help of then-three-year-old Spike to photograph the back.  He did it well!



Sigh.  I might have to make another one of these.  In addition to being part of my Nerd Wars dissertation, I turned this project in to the HPKCHC for Charms, March 2011.