I Got My Hogwarts Letter!!!

So I've started my very first knitting project ever and it's taken me about a week to complete. It's a pumpkin beanie hat for MissE. I missed the pumpkin patch so I'm going to take my own pumpkin photos with her wearing nothing but a diaper and the pumpkin beanie :)

I plan on knitting a few things for Christmas gifts and then moving on to knitting wool longies for MissE for diaper covers. Once I'm really comfortable with knitting, I'll move on to crochet. I actually really like it!

I'll update with pics once they're taken later this week so be on the look out!

In doing all of this, I have discovered Ravelry which is an online community for those who knit, crochet, spin, and weave (basically all things yarn related). I joined several groups that were related to things I enjoy such as Disney, Harry Potter, Texas, and a local group that I've met up with in real life now. I received a message from one of my Harry Potter groups and this is how it started:


"We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to join the Knitting and Crochet House Cup being held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment."


Yes, that's right, I received my Hogwarts Letter! I was thrilled! I actually squealed out loud and then read the entire letter out loud to Mister. It is a very detailed group and they cover all aspects of Hogwarts including offering 8 classes, Quidditch, a Headmistress Challenge, an Order of the Phoenix Mission, Detention, Sorting into Houses, a House Cup, Study Hall, OWLs, NEWTs, House Challenges/Missions , House Unity, Crafting Duels, Inter-House Unity, and so much more! Each aspect is extremely detailed out.


For example, here is this terms Astronomy Lesson:

Good evening, class! Welcome to Astronomy. We are your professors, TheDoctorsPlusOne, Andryl, Froggie3ds, and HermioneWeasley.

We all know that its 1 o’clock in the morning and you are all very tired and want to go to bed after a hard day’s work, but pay attention because we will be watching a meteor shower tonight, and discussing what it means. If you’re really tired, you may grab a cup of steaming coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. We know it’s November, and it’s too cold to have the windows open, so you might want to grab a blanket and cuddle with someone by the window.

Froggie starts drawing a complicated group of dots on the chalk board. This meteor shower, Leonids, will be giving about 15 meteors an hour. There are a few other meteor showers this month, but we want this one to be our main focus. All meteor showers have a parent comet, and this shower’s comet is Tempel-Tuttle. It was discovered by a couple old warlocks, Ernst Tempel and Horace Tuttle.

Since the moon is currently blocking our view of the shower, we will not be observing until the moon has risen a bit more. TDPO yawns and falls back into her chair. Everyone, pull out your star charts and look up in the sky. Find Leones, and note its position--it will be important. TDPO grabs a cup of tea and downs it in one.

Andryl steps up and starts to speak as HermioneWeasley hands out drinks. A meteor shower is a stream of debris from a comet. This shower is mostly known for it’s amazing storms which can produce thousands of meteors per hour. Sadly, this year is not the right year for a storm, but we will still see a few meteors.

TDPO wakes up, yawns, and carries on the conversation. When Tuttle found the comet, he wrote down everything he could about it, but it was kept away from the prying eyes of Muggles, and only wizards nowadays are starting to wonder where all the information went. And no, we don’t have it.

But Tempel, a German astronomer, and warlock, also discovered the comet and also wrote down all he could about it. He, like Tuttle, hid it away from Muggles. We have his report, but it’s in German. It is also very long.

Here is your assignment:

Option 1: Work with a partner to keep warm! Craft related projects to keep you warm while you watch the stars. For this option, youmust include your partner’s Ravelry name, spelled correctly, in your hand-in information, so that we may check your work together. For this option only you and your partner may hand in a project together which you have both worked on. 
Option 2: Read what Tempel said about discovering the comet and knit, crochet, spin, dye, or weave something based on his detailed report. For example you might dye yarn based on an eloquent description of the comet streaking through the night sky, or create a replica of his pocket watch (described in great detail on page 15). 
Option 3: Be creative! Craft something that is inspired by the meteor shower or parent comet. Some ideas are a shawl with lots of eyelets for meteors, or a bobble hat.

Summary: Craft something to keep someone warm (by yourself or with a partner), craft something related to Tempel’s German report about the comet, or craft something inspired by the comet and/or meteor shower.

To earn points towards the House Cup, you must complete a minimum of 1 class per month for each of the 3 months of the term. You can do a maximum of 6 out of the 8 classes offered, plus any of the extra stuff like quidditch, missions, challenges, etc. I think it's a great idea and believe that it will keep me motivated to keep working on projects rather than setting it aside for something new like I have a tendency to do. 

Each term is 3 months long with a 1 month break in between for sorting. One term is considered a year at Hogwarts so if I did one term I would be considered a First Year. Right now I can participate as a NQFY (Not Quite First Year) and fully intend on doing so since you get a higher priority during sorting if you have participated and completed classes. I'm hoping to be sorted next term (sorting is in December for the term starting in January) but I'm not holding my breath since I've just discovered it during the last month of the current term so I haven't turned anything in the last 2 months. It is all run by volunteers so the number of pupils accepted for sorting is limited. But, like I said, everyone can participate as a Not Quite First Year Student but you won't earn points. Those who have been sorted before but are not participating during the current term can play as a Student on Sabbatical. 

I'm hoping to be sorted into either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but I'd be fine with any of the Houses. Wish me luck!