Six Degrees of Draco Malfoy

I'm supposed to post my assignment for the Hogwarts sock swap here for grading. I have to connect the Dursley family to Draco Malfoy in six steps, or degrees of separation, ala Kevin Bacon.

Petunia Dursley is the sister of Lily Potter, who is the mother of Harry Potter, who is in Gryffindor House with Neville Longbottom, whose parents Frank & Alice Longbottom are tortured into madness by Bellatrix Le Strange, whose sister Narcissa is Draco Malfoy's mother.

Hogwarts Swap Socks Arrive in HMB

I received an incredible package in the mail yesterday. It came all the way from Cambridge, England, courtesy of my Hogwarts sock swap pal Lyndsey-Jane. She sent me custom hand knit VOG ON lace anklet socks made from hand dyed Ravenclaw striped yarn, the leftover yarn in case I want to make the socks longer or to use in another project, a matching fringed bookmark, a chocolate truffle candy bar, and beaded stitch markers (which were just the right size for my big needle felting projects, where I've been using yarn markers) in the Ravenclaw colors.

L-J also sent me a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in the "Only in the UK" colorway Cherry Blossom, instead of the sock needles she was supposed to send. (I am NOT complaining.) Because she was a month late sending my package, she also tucked in a skein of Wollmeise Sockenwolle yarn in a gorgeous purple and blue color way. Being patient pays off big time! Lyndsey-Jane went far beyond the scope of the swap, and I am very happy.

I now have the pleasant task of deciding what pattern to use with the sock yarns. The Woolmeise might be turned into a lace shawl, because it has great yardage and is a wonderful deep periwinkle blue color. Cameras can't seem to capture the real tones of blue colors. I also have to get busy making the socks for my new Hogwarts sock swap partner, who is a Gryffindor this time.

I'm also pleased to report that I finished a UFO that had been sitting in my project box far too long. I only had about 10 more rows to knit on this scarf, too. It's mohair and a variegated nylon ribbon held together, knit in garter stitch on big needles with a dropped stitch very so often. I've made three scarves using this pattern, the other two used a variegated fuzzy nylon yarn and a wider ribbon.

Thanks again, Lyndsey-Jane! The socks are wonderful! There won't be a picture of the chocolate bar (although I saved the wrapper.)

Harry Potter Has Arrived

No spoilers here.

Doesn't this Horcrux sock look perfect to accompany the new book? My Hogwarts sock swap package has not yet been delivered by owl post yet, but I woke up early this morning to greet impatient garage sale buyers. I was informed yesterday afternoon by DD that she and a friend were holding a garage sale at my house this morning. Of course they both overslept (!!) They eventually arrived and had a somewhat successful day of sales while I did the laundry and read DH.

My book package did arrive at about 10:45 am, stuffed in the mailbox. I think the muggles started their shift early today to avoid being rushed by anxious readers. My friend who lives around the corner was leaving for a party and her daughter was stalking the mailbox because it hadn't arrived before they had to leave. I lent her my copy of the book so she could read it on the way to the party (and probably at the party too). I was already on page 83 when they showed up to snatch my copy. I had to wait another hour and a half before I could walk over to her house and look in the mailbox for a now familiar package. I was a little paranoid that I might be arrested for stealing mail, so I walked up to the front door, rang the doorbell, opened the package, left the empty cardboard by the door, and walked away carrying my book.

Hogwarts Sock Swap Questionnaire 2nd Years

I've joined the second year Hogwarts sock swap (signups open tomorrow 7/14 for first years) and need to post my questionnaire here for my pal to read and to earn my first house points.

You can see the results of the first swap in my last post. I haven't received my swap socks, but I've been told they are coming soon, all the way from Harry's homeland (I guessed). I might have to wait to see the new movie until I can wear the socks to the theater! Maybe I'll just bring my newest Hogwarts project. I ran several of my name combinations (nickname, real name, maiden name) and came up with my 2nd year Hogwarts name (it's supposed to be a secret until the swap is over). My first year name (Penelope Clearwater) was not available as a Gmail account, so I chose another name.

I've been taking a break from sock knitting this week and working on a lacy cotton top, a free pattern from Elann. This is what it looked like on Monday, before I divided for the sleeves. I am knitting the lace pattern all the way through instead of making most of the top in stockinette.

Sock Swap Questionnaire

Second Years

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into?

Ravenclaw

2. Shoe size? Foot length? Foot circumference?

Shoe Size 8.5 US Wide (D width) Foot length 9 3/4 inches Foot circumference 10" (ankle is 11", as is calf)

3. List your three favorite sock yarns.

a. Wool/cotton blends from several companies (Opal, Regia, Meilenweit, Lang Jawoll), or Tofutsies

b. Socks that Rock Lightweight

c. Shelridge Farms Handpaint Ultra and Heathers (limited colors)

4. Would you like to try a new brand of sock yarn? If so, which brand? I really want to try the great Fleece Artist Sea Silk sock yarn, Adirondack Yarns Silky Sock yarn, or the new Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome. I'm always willing to try a new cotton blend yarn. Aside from being soft, the yarn must be machine washable, that's my sole criteria.

I've tried many sock yarns that I like, but they didn't make the top 3 (which I had to augment). In no particular order, I present more choices:
d. Cherry Tree Hill Supersock
e. Hand Jive Nature's Palette
f. Claudia Handpaint
g. Louet Gems Merino
h. Koigu KPPM
i. Lorna's Laces shepherd sock
j. Colinette Jitterbug
k. Regia Bamboo
l. Fleece Artist Merino sock
m. Lisa Souza Sock Merino

5. Do you prefer variegated or solid sock yarn?

Variegated, if you look at my stash, or semi solids (like Lorna's Laces). Heathered yarns are my absolute favorite, but they are hard to find in superwash, which I have learned (the hard way) that I must use for socks. I like to combine a variegated and a solid yarn in stranded or slip stitch designs, so both are good to have on hand.

6. What colors would you like to add to your sock yarn stash?

I LOVE color, but it seems I gravitate towards blues, greens, teals, purples, rosy reds, cocoa brown. Orange is my absolute least favorite color. Black is good as an accent, dark navy is better. I've even used plum.

7. What kind of sock patterns do you gravitate toward? Lace? Ribbed? Fair Isle?

I love to do lace and fair isle, also mosaic or slip stitch. Textured socks are fun too. Plain rib drives me crazy but it does fit well. Cables are not a favorite, since they combine ribbing and a cable needle, plus they pull in the sock and also add bulk.

8. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, animals, etc.)

Smoke, cats, dogs, birds, dust, perfume, MOHAIR, shetland wool bothers me too

9. Will your socks be exposed to cigarette smoke or animals as you knit them?

NO

10. Are you willing to have an international Hogwarts Sock Pal?

Yes

Hogwarts Sock Swap

I finally sent off my Hogwarts sock swap package to Shannon in Maryland on Friday. She received it by special delivery Owl post on Tuesday! That owl must have been caffeinated or something. I've never had a package fly so fast all the way from California to the East Coast. It must be the higher rates the owls are charging now. I couldn't post any pictures earlier because Shannon had figured out who I was and I didn't want to spoil the surprise. She also took wonderful pictures and said I could use them.

I modified the Horcrux sock pattern quite a lot to make this pair for Shannon. I used the fingering weight version of the pattern that Susan shared with the Six Socks KAL Yahoo group. I also striped the top ribbing, left out the ribbing after the lace, added a reversed repeat of the Horcrux lace and a slip stitch stripe, used my usual eye of partridge flap heel, made the foot solid stockinette and crenelated the toe to look like the Hogwarts School ramparts (and reintroduce the grey yarn to make the socks look complete.)

My DD Elanor (age 26) was my creative consultant on this project. If she had been a Slytherin Shannon might never have received this pair! I'm proud and happy to say that I used my stash yarn to make these socks. If I had received a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff pal I would have had to shop for those colors, because, amazingly, they are not in my stash of almost 300 skeins of sock yarn. These socks took me just a week to make, although it took 2 months for me to get around to weaving in all of the yarn tails.


Thank you to Shannon for being patient and sharing her pictures with me (and the world) and to Rebecca for having the idea and hosting the swap. If you want to sign up for round two the signups open on the 14th. Click on Rebecca's name for the information.

This is what was in the package I sent to Shannon. I even ordered special bamboo sock needles from Astrid's Dutch Obsessions. Of course, along with the needles came quite a few skeins of sock yarn. Maybe I should have shared one of those with Shannon too. Oh well, hindsight. I am going to send her the leftover green and grey sock yarn to make a mini Horcrux sock for her keychain.

Four Pairs Down, 48 More to Knit

I finished my 4th pair for the month of April. Only 48 more to go for the 52 pair plunge challenge. The socks are based on the Horcrux pattern by Susan Pierce Lawrence, but I made major alterations to it. No pictures yet because these socks are for my Hogwarts swap pal. The original pattern, knitted in worsted weight yarn, is available on Susan's blog. A fingering weight version is available to members of the Six Sock KAL Yahoo group. Anyone can join this group. It's a great group of socknitters who knit original sock patterns bimonthly.

I started this pair last Sunday and finished them today. One week from start to finish! That might be a new record for me. In order to keep up with the 52 pair plunge, I'm trying to cast on for sock two as soon as I finish sock one and keep knitting. Usually I start a new sock project when I finish sock one and come back to sock two after working on a few different designs. This helps to alleviate the boredom factor and makes the pattern fresh again.

I also finished another sock this week and made some beaded stitch markers. I got a multicolored bag of silver lined seed beads, and my DD makes macrame beaded necklaces, so she had some larger beads to add to the mix. She pressed some white mother of pearl beads on me, which I used to make a rainbow set. Each marker uses a pearl bead and two beads of a rainbow color. I think they are my favorite, but I've always been a sucker for rainbow colors. I'm using the turqouise beaded marker on my new sock project. I also got some oval Czech glass beads to use for my Hogwarts sock swap partner, so I made some Gryffindor and some Slytherin markers. Some of the Czech beads were purple with red, green and pink swirls, so I added pink or red seed beads to them. I think I made about 25 sets of 5 markers, and I have lots more beads to make new designs. I'll post pictures when I figure out how to use the camera. I haven't done my laundry yet and I need a pair of pants to wear to work tomorrow, so I'm off to fill the washer.

It's Official! I am a Sock Knitting Fool

I am obsessed with knitting socks right now. Yesterday, instead of finishing my taxes, I started knitting the Horcux socks designed by Susan Pierce Lawrence. These socks were the mystery socks on her blog in March, and didn't have a name. I won't say much more about that because they are for the Hogwarts sock swap and are a secret. I've changed the pattern quite a bit, too. (No more hints for my swap partner to see!)

I may have reached the point of no return. I have a baker's dozen of sock projects on the needles. They are all "first socks". I finished three pairs of second socks this month, which is a good thing. Of course, having free needles and lots of enthusiasm, I started four new sock projects. It's a good thing I have lots of needles. I don't use all of them to knit with, but they're okay for holding projects that are on the back burner. Last year when I counted my SIP's I had 9, and they were mostly second socks. I've finished all of those and more besides, so there is hope for these projects. I'm glad I have company in my obsession.

1. Monkey in the same yarn Cookie used, but in lavenders and blues (Yum Yum) KAL
2. Mona in Navy Sisu (needs really great light to work on it)
3. Waving Lace in Fleece Artist cherry pinks and bronze (maroon colorway)
4. Inside Out in STR Monsoon
5. Hogwarts sock swap striped socks of my own design in Socka, with thanks to Susan (almost finished)
6. Mitered Square socks in Lorna's Laces Lake House and the late lamented Special Blauband
7. Fairisle socks from SKS in self striping Blauband and KP Essentials solid (not mindless)
8. Broad Spiral Rib Socks from More SKS in Vintage Striped Opal (one sock finished)
9. Madtini Socks in varigated Silja (may frog these and use the yarn for something else). My second pair in this pattern from the Sock Madness competition
10. Slip stitch stripes in hot pink Bollicine (may be a UFO) This was a SOTM kit from theknitter.com
11. Blueberry Waffles in Blueberry Fixation, toe up. This is a really old UFO because I hated the needles I was using (old Bryspuns). I've knitted the sock onto my new rosewood sox stix from Lantern Moon and it might get finished before the next millenium. I was so happy to win the sox sticks at Stitches West. A pair of ebony single point needles, a post it note pad and cover and a rubber vase were also in the package. What a great prize!
12. Maze Mosaic socks from SKS in light and dark grey Silja (ran out of yarn and have to frog)
13. Sun and Moon socks in red and grey Regia 6 ply (what was I thinking!) The first sock is actually done but I never started the second sock. The reason being: the color combination doesn't show off the great pattern design, which is unfortunately no longer available. This sock has been a UFO for a number of years. I still remember watching the original Frankenstein with DH while I worked on this sock. I want to make them again in better colors.

I like to work on several pairs at a time so I don't get bored and have two mindless pairs to be my on the go project, but this is ridiculous. To be fair, I have finished 7 pairs already this year, 4 in March and three in April. (In January I was enthralled with entrelac and felting, in February I went to Stitches for 4 days, and also worked on the now finished socks).