All Hallow's Homework

Like most of the internet, it seems, Halloween is my absolute favourite holiday, so I've been eagerly keeping track of the many wonderful Halloween-themed turn-ins you badgers have been making for classes.  Here are some from September, to start.

ThatTessGirl outfitted her husband with a truly awesome Princess Leia hat, which I believe earned her a nomination (well-deserved!) in the September prizes thread.

krazykt82000 dyed this enviably beautiful roving.  I love a good spooky-monsters type colourway.

bbhatsnstuff knitted an adorably expressive ghost/pumpkin minisock.

Melanthe knitted a perfect candy corn hat.

CraftyShanna created an amazing turn-in for these cute little vampire bats.

KarenRedBaron made an amazing improvised cat's-eye eyepatch.

Moving on to turn-ins from this month, Lea67000 (the World's Fastest Hexipuffer!) made this fantastic jack'o'lantern puff.

 Pumpkins abound this month.  Here's a perfectly-knit specimen from Maylablue.

And LittleFit added a face and limbs to her pumpkin for extra Halloween goodness.

 broknmachin14 made her decorative gourd in hat form to donate to her local NICU.

Kirsts worked some magic that will transform her baby into a carrot!

Rikachet is helping us haunt the Den in the cutest possible way with this little ghost.

Luckynumbers has been sewing up a whole party's worth of super-cool superhero capes.

Wrapping things up with some sweetness, JessiaSott created this delicious-looking little candy corn.

Homework Highlights

There's still over a day of September left to get in some last-minute homework, Badgers---I know I've got several projects in various stages of completion going on for my usual end-of-the-month-homework-rush!

But from more timely students than I, here are some amazing turn-ins from the second half of September.

broknmachin14 wowed me with these wonderful photographs of her dyeing project---there's a skull, guys.  And candles! And mysterious bottles of blood dye!

anneknits made a hat I would love to be wearing, come winter.

And a tinier hat, which comes with a cheer from me for CharityUK for conquering her fear of crochet by making it!

andy8715, a braver crocheter than I, made this awesome basket with plarn.  (Yarn made from plastic bags---a very cool idea, but really hard on the hands.)

finasc finished her second bear for the Mother Bear Project.

Skrewkat completed this zigzagalicious cowl.

Humppa combined knitting and crochet in this elegant candle cozy.

KateLemmers spun this beautiful Falkland wool.

VampiratKnits visited the Leaky Cauldron with this most excellent pair of flip-flop socks.

lucamama made a fantastic transforming rabbit/top hat (not pictured here: top hat.  see her project page for more photos).

Marushka did an epically awesome turn-in for this pretty baby blanket---lots of fun photos, lots of adorable story.

Stay tuned for next week, when I'm going to start flailing about Halloween themed projects---I already have some earmarked from September, but I expect October to make them increase exponentially, and I can't wait.

Homework Highlights (Chosen by Random.org)

You excellent Puffs are keeping me on my toes---as I peruse the class threads this month, I'm keeping a text file on my computer with some of my favourite projects, and just from the first ten days of term, I already have so many that I decided to let a random number generator pick which ones to showcase today!

Taking advantage of the non-Ravelry-crafting option at the Magical Menagerie this month, HogwartsKnitting submitted a beautiful sewn tea wallet.

Also at the Magical Menagerie, WAgirl98 made this gorgeous cabled hat, and crafted a very cool story to go with about how its cables resemble the ears of magical shape-shifting rabbits.

I love it when a project/turn-in photo features the crafter's pet, so I'm a big fan of this homework from TinyStitcher, who is keeping her gorgeous feline familiar happy with a crocheted fish.

Tricotjo made this very dashing mustachioed cowl, a most excellent disguise for getting around Knockturn Alley.

In "projects that  you are definitely going to see in the Prize Nominations Thread," ashleybah knitted this completely perfect Care of Magical Creatures charm bracelet.

Please join me in boggling at this turn-in from LadyDragonsinger: her 73rd Molly Weasley sweater.  That isn't a typo!  I'm pretty sure that kind of creative feat requires actual magic.

HazelRose has been turning in a lot of cool woven projects, but I think my favourite is this ingenious way to use practice squares (and this idea could work nicely for knitted or crocheted squares/motifs, too) by turning them into a needlebook.

In the "yarny turn-ins I would like to get on my hooks" category, Maylablue dyed some amazingly vivid yarn in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw colours---the red is even her handspun.

And finally, a selection from Detention at the Leaky Cauldron in the form of a shawl of breathtaking beauty by jpester.

It's Labor Day! Let's Get Ready for Quidditch!

Good day Quidditch Fans!  It's Labo(u)r Day in the U.S. and Canada, the unofficial End of Summer for muggles and the beginning of the Fall Term of The House Cup for us!

Along with the beginning of the Term is the beginning of Quidditch!  Our Headmistress, yarnvista, had this to say, "The Quidditch season promises to be exciting, and there should be something for everyone. Since Quidditch is a very unpredictable game everyone should be prepared for any possibility. There is more than one path to victory, and strategy is more important than ever!"

Doesn't that make you say, "Hmm?  Tell me more."  Here is my understanding of Quidditch this term.

There are TWO paths to earn points.  Path 1 runs 3 September through 5 November and Path 2 is three events, one each month.  Here's the breakdown:

Path #1) Explore Quidditch Positions (3 Sep - 5 Nov)[150 Points possible for each chaser!]:

• Beaters: Knit, crochet, weave or spin up to 15 projects using 50 yards/project minimum.  Each project will earn 10 points.
• Chasers: Knit, crochet, weave or spin up to 6 projects using 150 yards/project minimum.  Each project will earn 25 points.
• Keepers: Knit, crochet, weave or spin up to 3 projects using 300 yards/project minimum. Each project will earn 50 points.
• Seekers: Knit, crochet, weave or spin up to 2 projects using 500 yards/project minimum. Each project will earn 75 points.

When you turn in your first item for this Activity, please let us know which position you will be studying by including one of the following tags. Once you’ve turned in your first project you will be locked into that position, so choose wisely!
TAG: HQ16Beater, HQ16Chaser, HQ16Keeper, or HQ16Seeker

Path #2
1) Get to Know Your New Nembus! (5 -16 September) [Each project will be awarded 15 points. 1 project per player]:

For this activity:
Using any Ravelry-approved crafting method, craft something using “top-of-the-line” materials, colors or stitch patterns.
Dyers: you may either dye a fiber that you feel is a luxury fiber or use a “top-of-the-line” dyeing method.
Please tell us why this is something special for you to use.
In this case, “top-of-the-line” is subjective. Use what you feel to be top of the line. Don’t break the bank just to go out and buy that skein of $4000 Quivit for this challenge. We want you to craft with something that you think is a luxury. Love cotton? Craft with cotton. Have a fondness for acrylic? Craft with acrylic. We just ask that you tell us why you feel it is top-of-the-line to you.
TAG: HQ16Nimbus

2) Pre-Match Jitters (10 - 19 October)[One project per student, 15 points per project]:
 
For this challenge:
Option 1: Using any Ravelry-approved craft, create something to soothe your nerves before a Quidditch Match.
Option 2: Using any Ravelry-approved craft, create something that makes you nervous or use a technique that makes you nervous.
TAG:  HQ16Jitters

3) Victory! Butterbeers all around!! (17 - 28 November):
joseybug, that sly Slytherin, is keeping the detail for this one under wraps, for now.

Wow!  Two ways to play this term!  There should be something for everyone just as yarnvista said.

That's all for now, I have some plotting to do...
Until next time; Keep your eyes on the Golden Snitch.