Archive for January, 2009

Calling all Ghosts!

For my Hogwarts swap…

All ghosts need to be accounted for here at Hogwarts, so I’ll try to call all of them out, here we go:

–Nearly Headless Nick, or Sir Nicholas, my favorite
–The Bloody Baron of Slytherin
–Moaning Myrtle of the Girls Bathroom
–The Grey Lady of Raveclaw
–Professor Bins
–Fat Friar of Hufflepuff
–All those attending the Deathparty
–Sir Patrick Delaney Podmore
–The Wailing Widow
–Harry’s Parents, they are ghosts technically

I’m sure I left out some, but this is the best list I could put together. Let’s see who shows up!

~~Lady Arabella Carmichael of Gryffindor

Arithmancy, what is it?

For my Hogwart’s swap….

Arithmancy is another area of magic, specifically revolving around the magical properties of numbers. It is said that the vast numerical charts if calculated correctly can predict the future. This is not only a subject envisioned by J.K. Rowlings but was practiced by Ancient Greeks. The name derives from two greek words, arithmos and manteia. Arithmancy is a very interesting subject, but not one easily learned or easily understood.

Hermione practices Arithmancy, but Harry and Ron don’t, and I believe that makes Hermione one of the strongest muggles at Hogwarts. She is one of my favorite characters, one who really appreciates the craft of magic.

For a quick glimpse into Arithmancy, let’s see what my name means:

My name is Raquel

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z

The values of my name are

918353

Add them up to get 29

Add again to get to a value lesser than or equal to 9 11

And again to get 2

So who am I?

This is what 2 means:

Two represents interaction, two-way communication, cooperation, and balance. Twos are imaginative, creative, and sweet natured. Peace, harmony, commitment, loyalty, and fairness are characteristic. But two also introduces the idea of conflict, opposing forces, and the contrasting sides of things: night and day, good and evil. Twos can be withdrawn, moody, self-conscious and indecisive.

I can say that it’s a pretty good match on who I am, you tell me? Those of you who know me, the good side hee hee, is this me?

~~Lady Arabella Carmichael of Gryffindor

In a mellow mood

Lately I’ve been coveting more of the neutral colored yarns, the darks, but with a suttle hint of color. I visited Purlescence Yarns a few days ago, just needing to get a fix of yarnie goodness, and as dependable as can be, they always have such a good deep stock of BMF.

My stash is filled with lace, sock yarns, various amounts of worsted weight yarns, but not much of chunky or thicker yarns. There are a few projects that have caught my eye, and I need the thicker yarns to do it, say like a a litter thicker than your average worsted weight.

One of my little investments was Obsidian from Twisted BMF, it’s 560 yds. of pure 100% Merino softness, I fell in love when I saw it.

I can make more than a few things out of this one skein, or hank? What would you call it? I’ll have to dig up some of my saved “Planned Projects” patterns to start using this yarn. It will be quick and sweet satsifaction.

Another tidbit I’ve been just aching to get my hands on is the latest Knit1 mag, since you can’t subscribe to the mag you really need to stalk your local carriers, mine being Barnes and Noble or Michael’s, but it’s very hard to catch one of these left behind there, so Barnes it is for me. Hey, I don’t mind, any excuse to go to Barnes for me is a good one, I just love books.

One of my all time favorite designers, he’s classic but fresh, simple yet intricate with his designs, is Jared Flood. I read his blog, Brooklyn Tweed, religiously, and he mentioned that he’ll have his Relm Tam featured in the latest Knit1. Here’s this pretty tam…

I have some gorgeous yarn I picked up last year at Stitches West 2008, it is from a newer yarn provider, East Port Yarns. Their yarn is literally super soft and the colors are so gorgeous reminiscent of the classic victorian era. I’ll snap some pics of my EPY stash and show yah. I plan to use one of the skeins to make the Relm Tam.

Ooh, last but not least, one little scrumptous morsel left, I was “enabled” by a fellow RR member on Ravelry to visit this yarnie’s site Dude Yarn. I picked up 1 skein of 100% wool in “Sunday Driver Grey” isn’t that a cool name?

I’ll catch you later, it’s mid-week and I’m ready for the end of it.

Aronie The Kitty Witch

Yes, this is Aronie the Kitty Witch. She started to come to form on 1/25/09 and was ready to protect and ward off evil this morning as soon her Hogwart’s scarf was put on.

She wears a black witches hat, and a black cape, with her lucky Hogwart’s scarf snugly wrapped around her neck.

Pattern: Amigurumi Kitty Witch
Yarn: Vanna’s choice Black and White
Crochet Hook: C 2.75
Scarf Yarn: Parry Hotter colorway from Lorna’s Laces, knit in stockinette stitch.

For now, I’m caught up on all my Hogwart’s knitting, at least until next month I’m now steadily working on my Swallowtail and will share with you tomorrow.

~~Lady Arabella Carmichael of Gryffindor

Lady Busta Gloves

I have a new project due for my Hogwarts – A Little Bit of Everything swap, for our Potions class. It’s so cold in the room where we meet that we were given homework. Homework was to knit or crochet a pair of mittens to keep our widdle fingers warm during Potions class, and it’s due today!

I went through 2 or 3 different swatched yarns, over 4 different patterns on Ravelry, and nothing seemed to satisfy me. So, after much procrastinating, I decided to devise a pattern for myself, exactly how I wanted them, and so I started this past Thursday on lunch. I visited Bobbin’s Nest Studio for the first time, it’s actually right around the corner from my job! Easy access is not good for a yarnaholic like me! I wanted to knit some gloves in my houses colors, Gryffindor, but just couldn’t find anything I was happy with. I went with some real pretty green Rowan Felted Tweed in Worsted Weight.

Here’s the first finished glove:

When I finished it, I liked it, but it needed something more. I decided to add some Crochet to it, so I did 2 rows of Single Crochet for the rim border of the mittens (around the knuckles), and then added shell stitching to the border of the base of the gloves. Then, I was happy, they turned out nice, and perfect for my Potions class.

I’m calling them “Lady Busta Gloves” because they have a lady’ish flair to them, but also have that bust’em up look to them.

These will be perfect for my Potions class, there small and don’t inhibit the movement of my fingers and allow me to work my wand.

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed Worsted Weight, Green
I wouldn’t use this yarn again, not for this project. It is nice, but not pliable, I would use a worsted weight sock yarn instead, and will probably make more soon.
Needles: US8 circulars
Pattern: Lady Busta Gloves (not yet written)
Yardage: Less than 150 yards
Methods: Stockinette, Crochet, Knitting in the round

Homework completed by:
Lady Arabella Carmichael of Gryffindor

Since I’m done with my homework now, I can share my recent splurge of yarn.
It’s been a bit since I’ve bought any real new yarn, I’ve been holding back for months now, believe me it’s been very hard. I had to completely avoid LYS’s, but the ETSY’s do get me now and then.

Some lovely Noro

More Blue Sky Alpaca 100% Organic Cotton yarn

I’ve also been moving along on my Swallowtail shawl KAL on Ravelry, I don’t have updated pics, but will post some tomorrow. Now I’m off to go get another assignment done and also keep going on my Swallowtail. Talk to you later!

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