Fall 2013 OWLs!!

We had a whopping 87 (provided I counted right) Hufflepuffs approved for OWLs this term! Comparatively 96 Slytherins were approved, 87 Gryffindors, and 98 Ravenclaws (again, provided I counted right as I am doing this while watching Alaska: The Last Frontier and trying to find patterns for their knitted hats). 

As we are now into October midterms can be turned in at any point from now (well, a few days ago) and October 31st (Halloween!). Midterms earn 75 points for the house. However, if for some reason you do not meet your midterm you can still turn in your final in November if you finish for 125 points. 

Now let's check in on some Hufflepuffs who have already turned in their midterms!

shagma has already turned in her 50% - one of her awesome O.W.L mittens from the Harry Potter Unofficial Knits magazine for Ancient Runes!

The books at the bottom of her photo is a set of the brand new HP books that her boyfriend got her to cheer her on. How sweet!

Lanismom has also turned in her 50% on her Transfiguration OWL

I love the colors in this beautiful, soon to be steeked, sweater!

First year jpester turned in the 50% on her Muggle Studies OWL - another pattern from the Harry Potter Unofficial Knits magazine - the Ginny sweater!

I can't wait to knit this sweater too!

ashleybah has also turned for her Arithmancy OWL 75 of her 150 proposed Hexipuffs!

So cute!

kirsts finished this stocking for her CoMC OWL and her soon to be born baby!

This will be a great family heirloom!

Don't worry, there's plenty of time to finish your 50% on your OWL but congrats to these Puffs who are on top of it!

Advanced Studies S13: OWLs Part 6

Aaaaand....we're back! 

First up is broknmachin13 with her Charms OWL. Not only is this beautiful lace but she also used over 1,000 beads!

In her History of Magic OWL Clotho honored three historic witches. First up a cowl honoring Ginny Weasley:

A tank top for Nymphadora Tonks:

And a shawl for Narcissa Malfoy:

Our headmistress yarnvista earned some points for Hufflepuff with these socks; the result of hatching a bugbear egg for Care of Magical Creatures. Not only did she knit these beautiful things but she also spun the yarn!

For Muggle Studies HOLLYGOOD created this beautiful sweater:

And finally Jenstc2003 interpreted the solar system with two pairs of socks: a pair for the sun and a pair for Mars:

 

Have you stopped by the Advanced Studies Planning thread to explore your AS options? If not, stop by today!

Firstie Fridays: BADGES!!

Happy Friday, Badgers! I hope everyone has been celebrating a lot since last Firstie Friday.

Today I’d like to talk about something very near and dear to my heart: badges. I may love badges even more than I love points, and I lurve points. So let's get straight to the...

FIRSTIE TIP OF THE WEEK: Collect badges!

Badges are collectible bits of love.

Badges are wonderful for many reasons:

·         you can wear them for your robes and let everyone know how amazing you are;

·         you can make project pages for them to see just how super-amazing you can be in a month or in a term or over Hogsmeade Weekend;

·         you can be mega-amazing like kaypendragon of Ravenclaw and do this; or

·         you can come up with something even more über-amazing than that to collect and display your achievements!

If you do that last one, please share your idea with us in the comments!

So shiny. So very, very shiny.

Before you can show off your badges, though, you have to earn them. Where can you find badges to earn in the Den? I’m glad you asked! Here’s a list of some of the places I know you can find Hufflepuff badges. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, so if I left something off, let me know!

·         Quidditch Locker Room

·         IHU thread 

·         Order of the Phoenix advisory thread

·         OWL advisory threads

·         Huffletainment Center

·         HECK

Badges are also extremely fun to make, so I’m going to give you one just for reading this post. That’s right – you get a super secret special badge!

Thanks for reading, Badgers! Congratulations on your Firstie Fridays badge! Now go check out the awesome threads I linked to above and get yourself some more badges. Huzzah!

Huzzah Hufflepuff!

Hufflepuff is off to an awesome term with 4 NEWTers, 62, OWLers, and 31 OotP projects (so far).

A big shout out to those who have submitted OWLs

History of Magic

cmajalisa - Option 2

tricotjo - Option 2

Skrewkat - Option 3

krazykt82000 - Option 3

neptunesmoon - Option 3

Timless1 - Option 2

Trapeze12 - Option 3

Marushka - Option 2

KristiRose - Option 2

Clotho - Option 2

texaninalaska - Option 2

Arithmancy

LumosKP - Option 2

TexasRachel - Option 2

Ancient Runes

Cowgirlknitz - Option 1

marrow5 - Option 2

Potions

gatigermom - Option 1

FlyKytten  - Option 1

midwestAliceAnn - Option 1

JMN - Option 1

TinyStitcher - Option 1

Mamalion - Option 1

Charms

vtgal - Option 1

starrynightsky  - Option 1

Dottydori - Option 2

kimanneberly - Option 1

DragonflysArt - Option 1

broknmachin14 - Option 1

Astronomy

clmnj58 - Option 2

Shawn - Option 2

Jenstc2003 - Option 2

Transfiguration

RedNu - Option 4

DADA

baxgirl - Option 3

PprmntMochaMama - Option 3

fluttervale - Option 4

lleavid - Option 3

lucamama - Option 3

WomblingStar - Option 3

Sandy62 - Option 3

Poofybirdy - Option 3

CoMC

lea67000 - Option 2

Marifly - Option 2

torsparkles - Option 4

Pollywoggers - Option 2

LarcYarn - Option 2

Jessiasott - Option 2

CraftyShanna - Option 3

kayhey - Option 3

banklady6 - Option 2

Yarnvista - Option 2

Muggle Studies

Twirlymom - Option 1

maineknitter1975 -  Option 1

Herbology

finasc  - Option 1

ChellBelle- Option 3B

SuperM - Option 2

mermaidboo- Option 2

BlueSocksUK - Option 1

Divination

nwheatley - Option 3

brighteyesjessy - Option 1

OWL proposals are accepted through May 31st.

Order of the Phoenix B.R.O.O.M.s are now being accepted through May 19th.

If you’re interested in doing either but don’t know what to do, how to submit the proposal, or have any other question, come over to the AS planning thread or the OWL threads,Pigwidgeon and Hedwig or Dumbledore’s Army!

Don’t forget, this term we are traveling about! NEWTers are visiting Tea Rooms around the world, but there is something else in store for OWLers and OotPs! Even if you don’t  want to be earburned, be sure to keep and eye on the AS threads to see where we’ll be and to pick up your Special Edition Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean Badges!!

Coming next week -- shout outs for the OotP students and something more than just lists!

Advanced Studies

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Spring Term, 2013! I'm starrynightsky and I'm the Advanced Studies Ace Reporter!

Advanced Studies

1. News from the OWL front.

Hogwarts staff have made some changes to simplify OWLs! From yarnvista’s post:

>Supplies photos are only going to need to show the yarn. The three things you do need to make sure you include are a photo of your yarn or fiber, a photo of your swatch, and a link to the pattern you are using,

>Say goodbye to the change deadline! Only those changes that alter the substance of your OWL need to be negotiated with your Examiner. A new pattern or changing to short sleeves rather than long are examples of changes that need an examiner’s approval. Adding more yarn to finish a project or changing the 2x2 ribbing to a hemmed edge are not.

>After much thought and deliberation, we are pleased to announce that we will be maintaining the current OWL and NEWT expectations but changing the OWL and NEWT points to reflect our refined points scheme as follows: OWLs will be worth 200 points total; NEWTs will be worth 450 points total

You can read the entire post here

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/hp-knitting-crochet-house-cup/2556740/1-25#1

Are you still undecided about what to do for an OWL? How about checking past OWLs to see what others have done for the prompts. Check out the OWL Hall of Fame to see the gorgeous finished projects from previous terms. It’s here

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/hp-knitting-crochet-house-cup/922382/1-25

FlyKitten, Crazy Potions Recipe Girl, will be posting awe-inspiring ideas for Potions OWLs. Coming soon to a blog near you!

2. Advanced Studies hangouts, for all your crafting and traveling needs.

New for this term, places to hangout, discuss your proposal, ask questions, post pictures, kick back for some fun and refreshment, and pick up your Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean Badges! More about this next week!

3. Oh, yeah, one more thing -- Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean Badges is proud to sponsor Hufflepuff Advanced Studies this term! We are pleased to announce there will be special Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean Badges created with Advanced Studies in mind!

4. Last, but never least, NEWT students.

Hufflepuff has 4 brave NEWT students this term

Luckynumbers; her NEWT is Ancient runes, option 1 and DADA, option 3: the Null hypothesis scarf, a non-repeating double knit scarf done in fingering weight. Here is the latest picture.

kirsts and her project Arithmancy Option 2 (Multiples)/DADA Option 3 (Repel the Cruciatus Curse)  75 mitred garter stitch blanket squares in 10 different colors

Hydra-star Ancient Ruins Option 1, Muggle Studies Option 1 a sweater and pair of socks, both intricately charted. Here's the yarn she's using.

stashalert Muggle Studies, Option 1-Disguise; and DADA, Option 3-Repel the Cruciatus Curse by doing Tracery Teal’s Kimono of Many Colors  This is her proposal!

Also, a Hufflepuff tip of the hat to our own minsue who is traveling abroad in Gryffindor this term. She is doing Arithmancy option 3 and Muggle Studies option 2 -- spinning and making a complex adult 

 ensemble.

GO NEWTers!!!!!

OWL Week Continued

Randi88 finished her Charms OWL with this beautiful shawl!

Jenstc2003 transfigured a lot of yarn with these two crocheted blankets for her Transfiguration OWL!

texaninalaska competed a Color Affection and a woven scarf for her Potions OWL!

ScarletFever created this beautiful blanket with 2,099 yards for Transfiguration!

And msoyster interpreted a dream to create this sweater, hat, and socks for a Divination OWL!

We had 38 awesome OWLs turned in by our Puffs during winter terms! Keep up the great work for the Spring!

Up next...NEWTs!