Friday 26 September 2008

Quidditch - Round One

1. At the beginning of the book, Cornelius Fudge is talking to the Muggle Prime Minister. Which member of the Order of the Phoenix has recently been found dead?
c. Emmeline Vance

2. What animal does Bellatrix Lestrange kill when she and her sister, Narcissa, are going to see Professor Snape?
b. Fox

3. What time does Professor Dumbledore collect Harry from Privet Drive?
b. 11 p.m.

4. What did Professor Sluhorn transform into when he was trying to hide from Harry and Professor Dumbledore?
a. An armchair

5. What grade did Harry get for Herbology?
a. E – Exceeds Expectation

6. Herbert Chorley, the Prime Minister’s Junior Minster, has been entertaining the public by impersonating which animal?
b. A duck

7. What is Professor Sprout’s first name?
d. Pomona

8. What is Dumbledore’s idea of ‘a few words’?
d. nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak

9. Who is Marcus Belby’s famous uncle?
b. Damocles

10. What is Snape’s mother’s name?
b. Eileen Prince


Pictures

Monday 22 September 2008

Daily Prophet Obituaries

Anna Meriweather 1973 -2008

It is with regret that we inform the magical world of the proposed untimely death (according to information received from Mrs. E. Wigworthy) of Miss Meriweather, the nationally known knitter.

Anna was a brave soul, a Gryffindor in her Hogwarts days. She is fondly remembered by her fellow-students as a mischief-maker. Mrs. Lizzie Wychwood told us with delight of one particular escapade when Anna tied an item of Professor McGonagall's underwear to the snout of one of the stone hogs that so famously flanks the gates of the school!

In adult life Anna remained a character of immense bonhomie. Yet she was also a very skilled witch, best known to the magical world for her work in the use of knitting spells for warmth and beauty. Alas, in the end her vast knowledge and skill in magical threadwork was not enough to serve her when she was suffocated by a cabled hat. The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office is investigating.

Me knitting (of course!!)

Ann knitting cropped

Mr. Wigworthy took this action shot of me knitting a few months ago when I was working on the Hufflepuff Pride Socks. Gosh, I've done a lot of knitting since then!

This week I've been learning a new technique - double-knitting. I'm making a scarf for little wizard number two. I'm particularly excited that I've managed to get the name to read properly on both sides:

Double-knitted scarf 020

Double-knitted scarf 023

Clever eh?

Then this weekend I raced to knit this hat for my duel partner in the contest that is running as part of The Swap. Verso has just left with it, and I'm very hopeful that he will deliver the grave goods to my partner before her owl arrives here!

Duel Hat

Sunday 14 September 2008

HSKS6 Questionnaire

Potter Name: Emma Wigworthy

Rav ID: spinningmaid

I am allergic to:
Most furry and hairy animals (cats, dogs, rabbits, mice, horses, goats etc....) However, I am not allergic to wool or mohair!

Pets that I have: None!

My favorite yarn:
??????? I love so many!! Probably easier to say that I really do hate acrylic!!

If you are a Ravenclaw, do you prefer the film colors or the book colors?
I'm a purist - while I love blue and silver as a combination, for house-themed items I prefer book colours.

My favorite flavor:
Any fruit flavour

My favorite holiday:
Absolutely Christmas!! I love, love, love German Christmas shops!! My Weinachtspyramids are my favourite Christmas things!

I would like to receive a: Scarf kit (for a change!)

List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length:
My favourite brand is Knitpicks Harmony. My favourite size is 2.5mm, but I have loads of them!! I've just learned magic loop, so would love a 100cm or longer circular in any sock size except 2.5mm (which I have).

Is there a brand that you are dying to try?:
Yes - Lantern Moon rosewood or ebony needles

I've participated in HSKS: This is my third HSKS swap.

Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day?
Not this time - my birthday was in April

Saturday 6 September 2008

New Term!

It has been such a busy summer!! My dear twin-sister, Lizzie Wychwood, works full-time at Gringott's so I had the pleasure of having her little witch and wizard with me during the school break. Luckily I had a lovely wizard from the Congo to assist me with the coven of teenies! We got out most days to visit places around, and did lots of walking in the local woods and hills.

Alas, such pleasures have to have an end, and sure enough September 1st came all too quickly. My youngest little wizard started full-time school, the same day that we saw Dennis off to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. Here's a picture of the three of them together in their various school robes that we took that happy/sad morning (I was so proud and so achey all at the same time!):


Miscellaneous summer 2008 024



There were lots of knitty activities filling my time otherwise during the summer. Particularly special was a wonderful knitting challenge, called 'Ravelympics' which the witches knitting forum, Ravelry, ran concurrently with a strange muggle sporting event called 'The Olympics'. I was in Team Hogwarts alongside many folk from Professor Wartbobble's sock kit swap, and many other Hogwarts students and alumni. I managed to finish 'Vesty Thing' for 'WIPs Wrestling', and knitted the cover for a felted knitting wand holder (for 'Felted Freestyle') with the Kauni yarn that Kaaelana so kindly gave to me last term. Alas, the felting spell didn't work very well and drained the colours, then I scorched it and cut a hole in it while trying to put it right!!

Vesty thing:


Vesty thing and Poppy's cardigan 008



Cover for knitting wand holder:


Blocking Kauni Holder



Meanwhile I made a fairisle bag for Molly's daughter-in-law, Fleur, who I've been teaching to knit:


Fleur Tote 3-d view



And some silk socks. The design was commissioned by Madame Maxime for students at Beauxbatons, so I've called them 'Chaussettes de Beauxbatons' (I so love French!!):


Chaussettes de Beauxbatons cover



I've published the patterns for the bag and the socks in my Ravelry pattern store.

So - lots going on!!

Of course, now Hogwarts has started a new term I will be spending a fair bit of time there assisting Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary again, and I'm once more very much looking forward to participating in Professor Wartbobble's sock kit swap. We have quite a lot of new students that have joined the swap, and I look forward to getting to know them, as well as chatting with many wonderful old friends. I'm rather concerned about the new head Girl though - Wisteria Lovegood - she spent a worrying amount of time hanging around with the more handsome professors last term - I suspect she has a strong floozy streak!!