February Failures

OK, so my challenges for this month were...
Thrifty Knitters Sock Club - Earl Grey or Sydney. I managed to get one Sydney sock as far as the ankle but then realised that it wouldn't go past my instep/heel so I need to frog it and make the bigger size. March's patterns are both really interesting and I have ordered two Knitpicks circular needles to try socks on two circulars as one of them is a Cat Bordhi pattern.

Sock Stash Elimination Campaign - I have been unsuccessful with Bellatrix so thought about Nagini, but thinking was all I did and I'm ashamed to say that I did not even cast on for these socks. Will try harder in March!

Sock a Month KAL - nope I failed to finish a pair of socks throughout February so I won't win this one either!!

And the reason for all this failure? I was busy with Bettna and then JUST TOO TIRED TO KNIT, and believe me that's really, really tired. Bettna should be washed and blocked tomorrow ready for its photocall so I hope to post pictures soon.
Wish me luck for March, I need to finish something!

HSKS 4 - Ravenclaw House Quiz

Well my Secret Swap email address is defunct but at least Blogger will still let me in!
Here are my answers to the Ravenclaw House Quiz:-
1. What colorless and odourless potion forces the drinker to tell the truth?
Veritaserum
2. If the spell to Apparate goes wrong and leaves half of you behind, you have been what?
Splinched
3. Who wrote the Standard Books of Spells Grades 1 and 2?
Miranda Goshawk
4. What is it called when brother wands meet?
Priori Incantatem
5. Name the charm used by Ludo at the World Cup to amplify his voice.
Sonorus
6. For what is the charm Aparecium used?
Makes Invisible Ink visible again
7. What charm requires the use of a Secret-Keeper?
Fidelius
8. What color should the Strengthening Potion be?
Turquoise
9. What plants are used in preparing a confusing potion?
Scurvy-grass, Lovage and Sneezewort
10. What condition is cured by Glumbumble?
Some forms of hysteria
11. What potion makes a werewolf safe so he can keep his mind when he transforms, and what substance makes it useless?
Wolfsbane Potion makes a werewolf safe but sugar makes it useless.
12. When does Fluxwood, an ingredient used in making Polyjuice Potion, have to be picked?
Full moon.
13. What color should a Shrinking Solution be?
Violet
14. What potion is made from asphodel and wormwood?
Felix Felicis
15. For what are Jobberknoll feathers used?
Memory potions and truth serums.
Fingers crossed ......

HSKS 4 Quidditch Round 2

Here are my answers:-
1. With whom does Ginny go to the Yule Ball?
a. Neville
2. When Harry arrives at the Burrow and Mrs. Weasley makes them all dinner the night before they leave for the Quidditch World Cup, what does her wand turn into?
b. rubber chicken
3. Since some of the sixth-year girls didn't have any quills on them, what did they think Krum might sign their hats in?
c. lipstick
4. How old does the Quick Quotes Quill say that Rita Skeeter is?
a. 43
5. What color cloak is wormtail wearing in the Riddle house?
b. Black
6. What color is "Mad Eye" Moody's magical eye?
d. Blue
7. What color are the robes that Rita Skeeter was wearing when Harry meets her at the Weighing of the Wands ceremony?
b. Magenta
8. What does Sirius Black tell Harry, Ron and Hermione to call him when speaking around anyone else?
b. Snuffles
9. Which team beat Wales, disqualifying them from competing for the Quidditch World Cup?
c. Uganda
10. What does Madame Maxime say is the only thing her steeds will drink?
c. single-malt whisky (please note the Scottish spelling of Whisky) - Whiskey is Irish and I'm sure Madame Maxine drinks Scotch.

Picture Scavenger Hunt
Goblet of Fire
Madam Maxime
Dragon from first challenge
Viktor Krum
Madam Poppy Pomfrey

Ravenclaw House Quiz

Not much knitting going on here - I have a pain up the inside of my right arm. Half-term holiday is nearly over and I haven't done half of the things I needed to.....

Here are my answers to the Ravenclaw House Quiz (with a bit of help from the HP Lexicon)
1. What is Professor McGonnagall's first name? Minerva
2. Who is the librarian of Hogwarts? Madam Irma Pince
3. What is Madam Rosmerta's job? Landlady of the Three Broomsticks
4. What is Rita Skeeter's secret? She's an unregistered animagus.
5. Madam Hooch is instructor of what subject? Games
6. Who is Parvati Patil's best friend? Lavender Brown
7. What Quidditch position does Cho Chang play? Seeker for Ravenclaw
8. What is the name of Fleur Delacour's little sister? Gabrielle
9. Who is professor of Divination? Sybill Trelawney
10. Who wrote "A History of Magic"? Bathilda Bagshot

February....

As a helpful reminder to myself, this is what I need to do in February....

Thrifty Knitters Sock Club - Sydney in Panda Cotton Multi

Sock a Month - Pair of Socks (may try two at a time again for this as I am SICK of second sock syndrome - I just can't be bothered to knit the second one!)

Sock Stash Elimination Campaign - One of Mama Monkey's patterns, not sure which one yet.

I also need to finish one of these A Bettna cardigan in Noro Kureyon - this is the shade I am using and I have had it in my cupboard for about 10 months!
I only have one Sleeve/Body Panel left to go and then it's on to the sewing up.

And January's projects? Well I managed to complete Sock a Month and SSEC challenges but failed miserably in the Thrifty Knitters Sock Club. I completed 1 Cabletini sock and here it is. I like the colour but I got SO BORED with the little cables going round and round and round that I just can't face doing it again. So I think I will be frogging it and moving on to February's Pattern instead.

On the reading front I completed Notes From an Exhibition by Patrick Gale - excellent, really enjoyed it, Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones - truly dreadful, I wish I'd never read it but I can't tell you why without spoiling the plot, Visible World by Mark Slouka - OK but no great shakes and there are some pretty graphic passages about Nazi treatment of Jews during the Second World War that were not exactly bedtime reading, The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon - would have been very good but it really falls apart at the end, none of the main characters is resolved and you are just left hanging nad guess what? this book also has lots of graphic description of the horrors of the Crimean War!!. The latest book I read was Random acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann which was good but not quite as good as Notes from an Exhibition. This is another book on the list with lots of gruesome stuff, mostly about the First World War and those bits really upset me. I got through to the end though and it has a very good, if somewhat predictable, ending.

I'm glad I'm following the list as I have read books I wouldn't otherwise touch with a bargepole but why, oh why, do almost all of them have to be about the horrors of war? Four out of the six contain pages and pages of human misery - now I'm no fan of light-hearted chick lit but I don't want to be reading such miserable stuff just as I'm about to go to bed, especially when you know that the books have been really well researched and that all the suffering really happened.

In February I have a Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J.Ellory and 2 others on order from the library so I'll probably have to dip into the pile of unopened books by the bed just to keep me going through the month.

Sock Stash Elimination Campaign

This is the third and final group/KAL I intend to join in 2008 (note, I said 'intend' so I reserve the right to change my mind, especially if Pink Lemon Twist does another Mystery Stole.) You can join the Sock Stash Elimination Campaign group too by clicking on the link. Each month our Leader issues a set of 'Orders' telling us what kind of project to knit using Sock Yarn from our Stash. When you've finished you post your project to the Blog - there's a monthly prize too! There's also a group on Ravelry for sharing FO's and asking advice, chatting etc.



My effort for January is Swing Thing from Magknits January 2006. The main body is made with Patons Aran but the narrow coloured bands are made with Sophie's Toes - yes the same stuff that also made the Jaywalkers! I'm not sure if it will count but the 'Orders' for January were for something for a Baby and I don't know any Babies other than my own wee one!!



So here is the best shot of the finished coat/cardigan (I'll compain yet again about how bad Digital Cameras are at taking pictures of red things!!).




And here is a close-up of the sock yarn element for the record...


Typically, Miranda said 'Me no like it' when I tried to put it on her for the photo...I'm hoping she'll wear it soon though. It's a lovely coat/cardigan and was enjoyable knitting. I'd be happy to make another one if she eventually weras this one!