Woolgathering Dot Net

I've started my Prisoner of Azkaban Hogwart's Scarf in Gryffindor colors!

Last night, I popped Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone into the DVD player and began knitting away. I had a heck of a time trying to do a provisional cast-on, so instead I took some waste yarn and did a traditional cast-on with it. I then started my second row with my real yarn. I plan on either unravelling my waste yarn (somehow) or just cutting it out when I pick up the stitches. We'll see; it's an "I'll deal with it when I get there" situation.

I finished the first 34 rows while watching Sorcerer's Stone, watched an episode of Law & Order for the trapped bar, then turned on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets until I was too tired and stopped.

I think I'll get it done with by the time the premiere of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban comes out in late June. I recently bought a replica tie in the PoA Gryffindor colors and I plan on buying my Four Kick Pleat Skirt in charcoal grey from Flynn and O'hara sometime in May. Alas, I cannot find the appropriate pattern for the school sweaters, otherwise I woud make myself one in time for the premiere as well.

A progress picture:

I've finished the first section and I've started the first repeat and a half. Only 8 and a half repeats to go! I love working with this yarn on my Addi needles. It's so smooth and quick and my hands don't get itchy or feel rough. I really like Brown Sheep. I like the feel of all their yarns I've worked with so far: Lamb's Pride Worsted, Handpainted, and Nature Spun. Plus, it's not particularly expensive compared to other yarns. I have yet to wear any of the items I've made (they are all bags), so I might not like it against my skin, but I'm finding Nature Spun quite tolerable.

Tonight, I need to return the ugly iron-on patches I got from A.C. Moore and exchange them for some pin-backs and appropriate glue to adhere the pin-backs to my knitted flowers. My swap needs to be mailed tomorrow.

I opted not to participate in the roleplaying convention. Again, much to Mike's chagrin. Primarily, this was because I knew I would be gone on Saturday and Friday evenings/Sunday mornings are dead times at conventions. So, I stayed in my hotel room and knitted away. I watched Law and Order, which is always good. Whenever I get into hotel rooms, I become TV junkie, which is why I try to avoid it like the plague when I'm home.

I'm probably going to finish the scarf next week, which is pretty scary since I thought I wouldn't get it done until really close to the June 5th deadline. I've been experimenting with a row of Continental knitting here and there. I can see how it can be faster than English knitting, but it's still slow and awkward for me. Knowing it will come in handy when I do two-color knitting in the future, so I'm trying to learn.

As you can see, I'm into my fifth repeat.

I went to the Maryland Wool and Sheep Festival with my mother yesterday. She insisted on driving the entire way and I got a lot of knitting done.

I'm almost done with the seventh repeat. Two more to go! I'm actually debating whether or not it should be only two more. I still have a lot of yarn and I'm considering continuing on until I run out of yarn. I'm only a little bit into my third ball of yarn and I have a whole one still remaining in my stash cupboard. That way, the scarf can be really long; I'll be able to twirl it around my neck and have it hang down quite low, perhaps waist-length or lower. Hmm. Decisions, decisions.

I'm almost done with my ninth repeat! Please excuse the really bad picture.

However, new images from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban playing card set have cropped up (graphic taken from mugglenet.com) of the new scarf:

Long! Very long!

In the ideal world, I would wear the scarf once around my neck and it would fall in the same way that scarf falls, with long tails that stretch to my knees.

It looks like I'm not close to being done with the scarf. I think I'll knit until I run out of yarn.

We didn't have ice cream after my knitting circle last night, perhaps due to the rain and the dreariness of the evening. I worked on Sara's scarf for a while, but I think the US11 needle is too large. I think I need to utilize a US9 or US10. The seed stitch was pretty, but I might try something a little fancier. Perhaps the crocus bud stitch I worked with previously.

I frogged the piece and worked on my PoA scarf again.

A bit better picture. Just started the 10th repeat.

Perhaps in future I will make a Ravenclaw scarf. The Gryffindor colors are my favorite, but I think I would be sorted into Ravenclaw.

I'm done!

I spent the evening weaving in all the ends and binding off.

I love the Three Needle Bind-Off. It looks sweet on both sides, so it's my new favorite thing and I plan on using the technique whenever I can.

Although I haven't officially measured it, Mike estimated it to be over eight feet long, containing 15 repeats (16 trapped bars). I have enough yarn, I think, to add the decorative rows for a vest or cardigan, which I plan on doing in the future. Today, I ordered my skirt from Flynn & O'Hara. The grey is light, but I think if I get a grey yarn that matches when I make my vest/cardigan, it won't be too big a deal. I decided not to do the fringe, primarily because I don't like fringe. If I happen to have appropriate yarn after I make the matching vest/cardi, I'll consider adding fringe to look accurate. I also bought fabric and Simplicity 5840 from someone on LiveJournal that wasn't making a robe. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it in time for the showing, but next year I'll be doubly prepared.

So, all I need to get are socks, mary janes, a wand, and I'm all set! I have tickets to both the HP Line Party and Fiction Alley's IMAX showing on Saturday. Can you tell I'm really excited about this film?