Things I want for Christmas:

-A snowboard and boots
-New winter boots
-Money (for said boots, lift passes, etc.)

All I can think of for now. I'll come up with more later, I'm sure.

Very little posting due to final essays, final concerts, final exams, and the like coming up. However today is the last day of classes so both posting and knitting content should increase.

I've been sick, so Sean rented the first 2 discs of the 1st season of Lost. Wow, is it addicting. We're trying to decide if it's more economical to rent the last discs (since each one is a seperate rental) or to buy the set - hard to say because we're not sure if we'll watch it again.

Still knitting, the hat is mostly done (although fairly big, it worries me a bit) and the scarf is about 1/3 done. I'm trying to motivate myself to work on my essay, and it's totally not working right now. This wicked sinus-infection/allergy thing is taking it's toll on my resolve and my singing voice, which I simply cannot allow it to do (the recital is on DECEMBER 1. That's only, like a WEEK AWAY). Right now I'm completely lacking two notes that are required in two of my songs. Poof, gone. The G and A above high C are just missing entirely. Hopefully they will return in time for the recital.

It snowed here, and has stayed (and hopefully should remain). We got about 10-15cm on Tuesday night, which fell in a very lovely fashion over the frozen ice and slush that had been the weekend's snowfall, so that we had a skating rink you couldn't actually see. Fun! But the snow is gorgeous, and we just went and got Sean a Crazy Carpet so we can go out sliding.

Anton's birthday is coming up, and I have two things for him, a book (Magyk) and a little Star Wars Lego set. I think he'll be very, very happy.

I also have two packages to mail off, to Elizabeth in Prauge and Mary B. in the States, the bracelet she won from Tricoteuses Sans Frontieres.

Oh, and I have to go find a costume for my recital. Anyone know where in Thunder Bay I can find a 1700's maid/peasant costume? Anyone? Bueller?

POA Gryffindor Scarf and Hatmione

Here's the long-awaited (or maybe I'm over-estimating my popularity) picture of the scarf and hat. Blocking it really made a wonderful difference, the stitches settled in and now it lies flat instead of bulging out into a tube. Of course, as I noted below, now I know that the damned scarf is 1x1 rib instead of a tube, but oh well. Mine is double-thick and warm.

You can also see the hat, but it's a little small since I cut the ribbing in half, so I'm going to add ribbing again to the bottom.

Pattern details:

Gryffindor Scarf
Pattern from Atypically Knit, modified to 12 instead of 14 stripes.
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in "Hollyberry" and "Daffodil"
Needles: 16" US 9 circulars

Hermione Hat (2)
Pattern from Atypically Knit
Yarn: Cascade 220 in "Ruby"
Needles: 12" US 6 Circulars

If you want to see the start of one of my holiday gifts, head over to "Who wouldn't love a Handknitted gift?"

This movie (Goblet of Fire, of course) was awesome for knitted things! There were so many, I can't remember them all! I'm thinking of going again on Tuesday (it's only 4.00 at Famous Players on Tuesdays here) and trying to scribble things down. Things I noticed:

-Gosh DARN IT ALL the house scarves really are 1x1 rib in sportweight, and there are a few closeups of the scarves to let us count the number of rows. I didn't catch the number of MC between the bars, but the bars are definitely 4 rows.

-The Gryffindor gold in the house scarves is flecked or heathered, not a straight gold. It seems to have grey in it.

-Neville, Seamus, and Dean are all wearing the same scarf at the second task. If you look carefully, it may actually be a Hogwarts scarf, since it seemed to be navy or black with stripes of green, grey, red, and yellow (I think, I was too busy watching the task to pay too much attention!)

-Ron's wearing a new Weasly sweater that has an "R" applique that seems to be either suede or velvet.

There's also many other nice sweaters and things! I didn't catch everything though, so if anyone is going again, or going for the first time, check it out!

Here's the Gryff scarf blocking. I've already worn it, but it needed to be blocked. More posts later once my comp is all clean and I have some homework done.

The movie was great, go see it.

My computer died. More posts once everything has been reloaded.

Well, the POA scarf is ALMOST done. I really mean it! I finished the last set of trapped bars (I only did 12 repeats, although after the premiere I may add the other two) last night, and today I'll finish the last burgundy block and add the fringe. I'm excited, it seems really nice, and quite soft. I'd definitely use the wool again (Wool of the Andes from Knitpicks) although I wouldn't want it for something next to delicate skin (say a sweater meant to be worn directly next to your skin, as opposed to a over-sweater). It had quite even stitches, although a very few got a bit of a funny twist to them, and it was easy to splice together. It also comes in TONS of colours, and they ship quite cheaply. I'm definitely going to buy more yarn from them in times to come!

There will be pictures forthcoming, probably tonight, and also pictures of the hat. I'm hoping that we can get outside to take them - the apartment building doesn't have any green space whatsoever, it's a building and a parking lot - so we have to go to a park for pictures. There's also NO SNOW here yet.

I've joined Alison's Holiday Gift Knit-Along. Family, be warned! If you look there you may run into pictures of your gifts, and you wouldn't want that, now would you?

Lest we forget...

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- John McCrae, 1915

I wish it would snow.

Now, I know there are lots of Canadians out there saying "You're crazy!", but frankly, I prefer snow and -2C to freezing rain/sleet/rain and 4C. It's icky wet and cold here, most unpleasant. If it were snowing, at least we could enjoy the arrival of winter.

And I could wear my new hat.

Hatmione update

It fits!!!! I washed it and blocked it and it fits!!! I think it's because I actually COULD block wool, so I knit it on smaller needles (US 6 instead of 7) and cut the amount of ribbing in half, then when I blocked it it was just the perfect size! Yay! Pictures when it's all done.

OK, so now the reason I haven't been posting is because I HAVEN'T been knitting, I'm almost done another Hatmione, hopefully this one will fit me (I've knit it 3 times now! None have fit!! I have a very small head, and for some reason I couldn't get the row gauge small enough without having the cirumference be such that my hat would fit one of the cats). I'm also working on the POA scarf still, it's longer. It's just before the 6th repeat, I think I'll get it done in time for the movie. My hat will be done too, maybe I even get the mittens knit!

I'm also on the lookout for a new woolen coat. I have a wonderful Columbia coat, and my Mom's wonderful parka, but the parka is too warm if it's less than -20, and the Columbia isn't really dressy. The one I have now is from Le Chateau, and it's really too big for me. It also doesn't suit me that well, since it's double breasted, and the heavy wool hood drives me nuts. I found a bunch of nice ones at the mall yesterday. There was a gorgeous jewel-tone turquoise one at the Gap ($180), a nice grey one with a pretty floral silk lining at SmartSet ($140), and a nice black one at Le Chateau ($140). I'm not sure what to do about it yet, especially since money really is tight, and I'm not sure I should buy a coat anyway. It's just that the one I have is really too big, it doesn't look great and it's next to impossible to comfortably wear my backpack with it.

And the cat just puked on the only carpet in the whole apartment.
Nice.

The pumpkin Sean and I carved! It's a KISS pumpking, the idea just hit me out of the blue. I think it turned out pretty neat, although we saw some impressive ones when we were out trick-or-treating with my little cousins (well, they were. We weren't).

Sorry for not posting. Things have been somewhat insane here, although I have gotten some knitting time in. The scarf is up to 4 repeats of trapped bars, and is already INSANELY long. I don't know if I'll put all the repeats in that are supposed to be there! I readjusted the number of CO sts and the number of rows to make it proportional, but it still seems huge. I mean, I like big scarves, but this is a little overwhelming.

In good news, my hair has returned mostly to blonde, now it just looks a little strawberry-like. When I first dyed it (no pictures, sorry Linz!) it didn't go red but instead very orangish (I should really learn, hey Ang?), but at least I'd done it before Hallowe'en and it looked appropriate.

Speaking of Hallowe'en...we made a really cool pumpkin, it's got a face from KISS. However, I can't get the image to upload for some reason. I don't know why.