Flower Power Pillow

I've finished the book. (Deathly Hallows). I'll get to that in a moment. I just wanted to post my latest project first.
I participated in a graph Crochet-A-Long (CAL) using the the tunisian stitch and posting the progress as you go.

Here's my end result. (Pics are clickable for enlargement).





These are the front and back pictures of a pillow. One side says "Flower Power" and the other has a bunny, a smiley flower, and the word "love" in the lower right.

I have periodically given my progress with up-to-date photos and descriptions in this thread at Crochetville...
Graph CAL/Crochetville
so if you are inrterested in how it was made, what yarn I used, all that stuff, go there and read it. My user name there is Becks so it's pretty easy to find me.

Now about Deathly Hallows. I've been letting it sink in now for a few days and I feel I need to add one last thing to my crocheted Hogwarts Castle in order to feel a sense of closure about the whole thing.

If you haven't read the book yet, please don't read any further...



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I have decided to add my Snape Chocolate Frog card to the inside of the top Headmaster's office as another living portrait alongside the Dumbledore one I sewed on since Half-Blood Prince was published.

I know there was no mention of Harry seeing Snape's portrait in the office when he rushed up there to view Snape's memories in the Pensieve, but that doesn't mean there wasn't or wouldn't be one eventually. (Especially in light of all that Harry found out about Snape). I really feel Harry would have insisted that there be one put there if it wasn't already.

Does a portrait automatically appear after the death of a Headmaster, or does someone actually have to paint it?

I don't feel Snape was officially fired as Headmaster. Simply chasing him from the castle and shouting out "Coward!" doesn't sound too official to me, (Chapter 30; The Sacking of Severus Snape).

Indeed, through the pensieve, we find out that Dumbledore had wanted Snape to take over Hogwarts and see to the safety of the students. Snape still had to keep up his ruse of being on Voldy's side, but he'd send the kids off to do detention with Hagrid. Hagrid!!! It's obvious he was doing all he could to maintain the post and help out the kids where he could.

The card looks like this one.... Ironically enough, it has Snape actually dueling a snake. - Something he didn't get to do in the book, (having no wand).

So, anyway, I'll have to work on that, (and doing it in secret again like the Dumbledore card because my youngest son is only on Chapter five and my husband and middle son haven't even read it yet). But they will see it eventually and I'll get a couple of pictures to update it for you all too.

One more thing. I don't know if I mentioned this in my blog or not, but someone pointed out to me that my Crocheted Hogwarts Castle was on a list of The Top 10 Geekiest Yarn Creations on the Web over at Threadbanger.com (You need to scroll down a bit. It's just past the knitted digestive tract.)

At first, I wasn't sure if I should be embarrassed or honored. But since the initial surprise, I have decided to embrace this as a sort of badge of honor. If crocheting a Hogwarts Castle is geeky, then, yes, I am a Geek. I can think of a lot worse things to be. And I also believe I'm in great company... (That gif was made by Jen. Hi Jen!)

So, here's to Snape who was finally exonerated by Rowling herself. (Pssst, we knew he was a good guy all along!)

But thanks for setting the record straight, JKR, and thanks for a fantastic tale!!!

Card Cheaters Afghan

Finally I finished this one!!!!
There were five graphs to work from and I kept running out of white yarn! LOL!!
(All images are clickable for enlargement.)







I had a hard time taking pictures too. The wind kept blowing one side or the other into curling up, and the sun kept teasing me popping in and out. Plus after I took all the photos the first time, I began to upload them to my computer and realized there was a huge smudge on the front lens making a blurry spot right in the middle. Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!
(I looked just like the skull in the afghan, (minus the bullet-hole), when I knew I had to go back out and retake the photos).






The maroon colored yarn surrounding the skull doesn't show up too well in the photos either.

I used the new yarn at Hobby Lobby called "I Love This Yarn".
It's very soft yet nice to work with. The black isn't as soft as the other colors though. I don't know why.






For the card suits, I used the four graphs found in this Bernat pattern booklet...
Poker Passion

It's a knitting pattern booklet, but the graphs can be used for tunisian, (or single stitch) crochet too.

For the skull graph, I got a picture from a site that sells window decals and I graphed it on knitpro's graph generator.
He looks fabulous!

I had to take the photos at an angle because the blanket is so wide. So the sides don't look squared but they are.
The afghan measures 36 inches by 61 inches.
I used a size J cabled hook.

I finally got the sun to co operate and my stupid shadow in in the way. And there's the curl from the wind.





These are back side shots. Pesky sun.

I had a hard time picking out the name for this afghan. I wanted it to reflect the Wild West poker mentality of "card cheaters will be shot". I hope no one is offended in any way. I certainly don't condone shooting anyone. It's all just in fun.

On another note; in about a week, (when the new Potter book is released), I will be in a glorious reading frenzy and won't be posting for a bit. I know a lot of you will understand as I suspect you are Potterheads as well. Heehee! Can't wait!

Seeing Stars

Just some star blankets and trivets. All images are clickable for enlargement.





These are made from leftover scraps from my Yellow Sub afghan using Synphonia yarn. I've been experimenting with Beth's Star afghan pattern by doing it in front post double crochet and backpost doublecrochet. It makes a nice basketweave star and also a sort of "fern leaf" looking star. (I like the Slytherin colors in the fern leaf star. :o)





The I made a whole slew of trivets trying out different combinations of front post and back post combos.









These last ones are small blankets. I made camouflage ones. One I added stripes to so it is larger. I put both in one photo so you could compare the sizes.