ALL NEW Harry Potter Craftalong - Autumn 2024

Welcome to the Wizarding World!
~ September 10 - January 31, 2025 ~

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

WELCOME TO THE ALL NEW, REIMAGINED, HARRY POTTER CRAFTALONG!

The Harry Potter Craftalong (HPC) is a way to share your crafts, cheer on friends, celebrate your love of Harry Potter, and most of all to be inspired.

If you have been curious about us in the past, but worried about joining such a long-running Craftalong, NOW is the perfect time to join in. The Craftalong has been reimagined, and is going in new direction. Each session we will have prompts inspired by the Wizarding World, Molly’s Housecraft Challenges to motivate you on mundane tasks, & the occasional Minister of Magic Mission. Complete crafts inspired by these prompts, and you earn Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans for your Team. While the prompts themselves are HP themed, your crafts do not have to be. You may craft anything you wish. You may join anytime during a term, and participate as much as you like.

Each regular project is worth 10 Bertie Bott’s Beans for your Team. LC Challenge entries, items for LC Swaps, or charity creations, will all earn you 10 Bonus Beans! And Minister for Magic Missions earn a whopping 30 Beans! At the end of each term, we will take an average of each Team’s total, and declare a winning Team!

This first “All New Term” is inspired by the locations in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

To participate, first choose a team. Then read through the prompts below, create a craft to fit the challenge, and post it here. If your project doesn’t fit any prompts, or if you’ve already fulfilled a prompt it fits, simply label it as Crafter’s Choice. (You may submit Crafter’s Choice as many times as needed.) That’s all there is to it!

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

~ HOW TO POST ~
To submit a project, cut & paste the following header into your post, and fill in the required info. You can add more than one project to your post.

Prompt/Challenge Title:
Project Name & Page Link: Add a link to your project posted here on Lettuce Craft, or to a recipe, pattern, etc.
LC Contest/LC Swap/Charity Item: If your item is for an LC contest or swap, or is for a charity, enter that here; if not please delete this line.
Team:
Brief Description: How it fits the requirements, pattern/techniques used, any fun tips, etc.

~ ABOUT ELIGIBLE HPC PROJECTS ~
-Projects should take a minimum of 30 minutes to make.
-For a project to be counted, it must have a picture or a link to a picture included at the time of posting.

~ HPC FAQs ~
-Which Team am I on? Your choice! But whichever team you choose, you must keep for the rest of the year. After that, you may switch if you wish.
-I have a problem or question; who can I ask? You can send a Personal Message (PM) to @MistressJennie . You can also ask questions in the thread.
-Do I have to craft all the prompts & challenges? Nope!
-Does my craft project have to be Harry Potter themed? Nope!
-This is a lot of info. How do I keep myself organized? Feel free to use Hermione’s Homework Planner , a Google Doc created & updated by MistressJennie. Claim a sheet of the Homework Planner at the bottom of the page, and rename it with your username. Please DO NOT alter the Master Sheet at the far left.

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

Chamber of Secrets - Part One
(Covering Chapters 1-9)

:house: Privet Drive - Harry (and Hedwig) are cooped up at the Durlsey’s, who have locked up all of Harry’s school things, and the owl herself. Harry worries about not getting his homework done, while Hedwig screeches to be let out of her cage to fly. Please put in a chunk of work on a project you are worried you won’t finish in time. You don’t need to finish the entire project, but you must do a minimum of 30 mins, and show us your progress. Alternately you may listen to your inner crafty voice, screeching to get out, and craft something you just have to make right now.

:bed: Harry’s Bedroom - Harry finds a House Elf in his bedroom. Dobby threatens to get Harry in trouble unless he promises not to return to Hogwarts. When Harry refuses, Dobby hovers, then smashes the fancy violet pudding Aunt Petunia made for a dinner party. Already in big trouble with his Aunt & Uncle, Harry receives a written warning from the Ministry of Magic, though fortunately he is not expelled. Please craft something sweet (literally or figuratively), something elaborate, or something that includes flowers. Alternately, go ahead and ‘bend the rules’ of crafting, by taking a shortcut, using a premade supply, etc. (Make a baby quilt using ‘cheater quilting’ fabric, etc.)

:house_with_garden: The Burrow - Harry wakes in the night to find Ron, Fred & George have come to rescue him in flying car. They whisk him off to the Burrow, which Harry finds to be a wonderfully magical and homey place. He even helps de-gnome the garden. Please craft something homey, either for your home or someone else’s. Alternately, you may work on a home improvement or decorating project, such as decorating for the season.

:black_heart: Borgin & Burke’s - Harry takes his first trip via Floo Powder, and doesn’t enunciate clearly enough. Instead of safely in Diagon Alley, he ends up alone in Bourgin & Burke’s, a shop which deals in Dark magical items. Before he can leave, Harry see the Malfoys coming, and hides in a cabinet to avoid them. He overhears Mr. Malfoy lamenting raids by the Ministry, and selling Dark objects to Mr. Borgin. Please get rid of your own DARK objects, by crafting with black or darkly colored craft supplies.

:foggy: Knockturn Alley - As Harry is trying to find his way out of Knockturn Alley, he is found by Hagrid, who steers him back to the safety of Diagon Alley, and the Weasleys. Please ‘rescue’ something. This could be a WIP that had been forgotten in the back of a cupboard, a craft supply rescued from the trash or a thrift store. Alternately, get yourself back on the right path, by clearing up your work space or craft room (please share pics of before & after).

:books: Flourish & Blott’s - In the bookstore, the Trio come face to face with their new DADA teacher, Prof. Lockheart. This causes Draco Malfoy to pick a fight, which Mr. Malfoy & Mr. Weasley soon get caught up in. During the exchange, Mr. Malfoy sneaks a book into Ginny’s cauldron. Sneak something into a project! This could be sneaking veggies into sweet muffins, or getting rid of all your mini yarn balls in a large scrappy basket.

:steam_locomotive: King’s Cross - Harry & the Weasleys are late getting to King’s Cross station, and in the resulting scramble to get to the train on time, Ron & Harry are last to go through the barrier. Unfortunately it is sealed, and the boys can’t get through. Ron convinces Harry that they could fly the Ford Anglia to school. For this challenge please overcome an obstacle to your crafting goals. Sit down with YouTube to learn that knitting stitch you need to know for a pattern you want to make. Can’t find the right color fabric for the costume you want to make? Dye it yourself.

:sun_behind_large_cloud: The Sky - Attempting to stay out of sight of any Muggles, Harry & Ron fly above the clouds as they cross the UK, dipping down from time to time, to keep track of the train. Please craft something cerulean blue, or something fluffy. Alternately you may create something which you need to check in on from time to time, like a simple knitting pattern, or cupcakes in the oven.

:deciduous_tree: The Whomping Willow - The boys crash land the Ford Anglia into a large tree, who does not take it well. The Whomping Willow fights back against both the kids and the car. For this challenge, please share a project that was a struggle, every step of the way. Thread that just wanted to break in the machine, yarn that wouldn’t stop splitting, a highly confusing pattern, etc., etc.

:european_castle: The Great Hall - The next morning Ron receives a red envelope at breakfast, which he seems scared of. Neville advises him to open it and get it over with. The envelope turns out to be a Howler from Mrs. Weasley for his theft of the car, and her magically magnified voice yells at Ron, loud enough for the whole Hall to hear. Afterwards, they receive their new class schedules from Prof. McGonagall. Please tackle a dreaded task by just diving in and getting over with (clean out your garage, etc), or craft something LOUD. This could be something legitimately noisy, such as a set of wind chimes, or something loud in color or pattern. Alternately you may craft something related to scheduling, such as a planner, Bullet Journal, or calendar.

:potted_plant: Herbology Greenhouses - First class after breakfast is Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Prof. Sprout hands out earmuffs to everyone, before introducing the class to baby Mandrakes. Please craft something in tandem with loyal friend or partner. Alternately you may craft something intended for a baby or child.

:magic_wand: Transfiguration Classroom - During Transfiguration Ron’s broken wand continues to cause problems, and Ron attempts to fix it with Spellotape. Please use any type of tape in your craft; duct tape, washi tape, magnetic tape, painter’s tape, floral tape, a measuring tape, etc.

:fairy: DADA Classroom - Prof Lockhart starts his DADA classes for the year, with a quiz on information found in his autobiography, Magical Me. The quiz included asking his dearest ambition (to market his own line of hair care potions), and his favorite color (lilac). He then lets loose Cornish Pixies, which he cannot control and cause utter mahem. Please step into the spotlight, and craft something either all about, or just for YOU. Alternately you may bring order to chaos by cleaning your craft space, or craft something that uses the color lilac.

:national_park: Quidditch Pitch - On the morning of their first practice, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team gets a long lecture from Oliver Wood. Please pay attention to a lecture of your own, by learning from an in-person craft class or an online tutorial, then share the results.

:teapot: Hagrid’s Cabin - When Ron’s curse on Malfoy backfires, he ends up vomiting slugs. Harry & Hermione take him to Hagrid’s cabin for help. Please craft something for the person you turn to for Tea & Sympathy. Alternatively you may show us a backfired spell of your own; a craft that totally did not work out as planned.

:writing_hand: Lockhart’s Office/Detention - Harry is assigned a tedious detention, helping Prof. Lockhart answer his fan mail, and listening to him chatter. After four hours, nearly falling asleep, Harry hears a sinister disembodied voice, that Lockhart can’t hear. Craft something with a tedious phase of production (78 identical rows of single crochet anyone?), or something in four parts (set of 4 coasters, etc). Alternately craft something wild and unusual that only you will see or use (a secret diorama in a desk drawer, miniature scene in a false book, etc.).

:headstone: Deathday Party In the Dungeons - The Trio attends Nearly Headless Nick’s 500th Deathday Party. It was held in one of the roomier dungeons, which had been decorated with black hangings, and black candles that produced a bluish glow. Sir Nicholas served his (dead) guests rotten food, and an enormous grey cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing. During the party Hermione introduced Harry & Ron to Moaning Myrtle, who haunts a toilet in one of the girls bathrooms. Please craft something in a gloomy color palette. Alternately you may bake something, or create an item used in the bathroom, such as bath bombs, or sugar scrub.

:toilet: Flooded Corridor - The Trio tries to go to the Great Hall for the Halloween Feast, but Harry hears the disembodied voice again, and rushes to follow it. They find a creepy and unsettling scene: the dark hallway has been flooded, a petrified cat hangs from a bracket, and painted in blood on the wall are the words “The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware.” The flickering torchlight and bloody words are reflected in the water. Get ready for Halloween by crafting a creepy (or creepy cute!) decoration for your house or yard. Alternately craft something using mirrors or reflections.

:ghost: History of Magic Classroom - Eager to know more, Hermione asks Prof. Binns about the Chamber of Secrets. Seeing that his class will not pay attention to the lesson unless he answers, he explains that rift that formed between the four Hogwarts Founders, over who should be admitted to the school. Salazar Slytherin felt only pureblood wizards should be permitted, while the others felt all students with magical ability should be taught. Slytherin left as a result, and is said to have created the Chamber, and hidden a monster inside. But the school has been searched many times, and no one has ever found such a Chamber, so therefore it doesn’t exist. It is just a story. Please craft something based off a favorite story or Fairy Tale, and tell us why you choose that story.

:yarn: Crafter’s Choice - If you have a project that doesn’t fit any of the prompts, or you have already fulfilled the prompt it fits, you may still post it as “Crafter’s Choice” for 10 Beans. You may submit as many projects as you wish under this option.

:basket: :woman_mage: :shallow_pan_of_food: Molly’s Housecraft Challenges :yarn: :woman_mage: :mantelpiece_clock:
Scrap Busting: Channel your inner Molly and craft something solely from scraps or stash.
WIP Challenge: The work of a mum of 7 never seems to end. Please complete a Work In Progress.
Reparo: Channel your inner Arthur and repair something, alter something, or organize something.

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

:sparkles: :scroll: :sparkles: Minister for Magic Missions

Remember, completing this mission will earn you 30 Beans!

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

2024 TEAMS:
:woman_mage: :crystal_ball: :mage: Witch Weekly :mage: :crystal_ball: :man_mage:
:newspaper_roll: :owl: :newspaper_roll: Daily Prophet :newspaper_roll: :owl: :newspaper_roll:
:cyclone: :sparkles: :cyclone: The Quibbler :cyclone: :sparkles: :cyclone:
:cloud: :broom: :cloud: Which Broomstick :cloud: :broom: :cloud:

2 Likes

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans

:woman_mage: :crystal_ball: :mage: Witch Weekly :mage: :crystal_ball: :man_mage:
AntBee:
Inselaeffchen:
MistressJennie:
plaidpineapple:

:newspaper_roll: :owl: :newspaper_roll: Daily Prophet :newspaper_roll: :owl: :newspaper_roll:
endymion:
tendstowardschaos:
Trillian:

:cyclone: :sparkles: :cyclone: The Quibbler :cyclone: :sparkles: :cyclone:
irid3sc3nt:
jellybean:
Moonflame:

:cloud: :broom: :cloud: Which Broomstick :cloud: :broom: :cloud:
skrutt:
fishstix43:

~ Point Totals ~
:woman_mage: :crystal_ball: :mage: Witch Weekly: readers, - beans** , for an average of - beans per reader.
:newspaper_roll: :owl: :newspaper_roll: Daily Prophet readers, - beans** , for an average of - beans per reader.
:cyclone: :sparkles: :cyclone: The Quibbler: readers, - beans** , for an average of - beans per reader.
:cloud: :broom: :cloud: Which Broomstick: readers, - beans** , for an average of - beans per reader.

:sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles: :jack_o_lantern: :beers: :owl: :zap: :broom: :mage: :sparkles: :european_castle: :maple_leaf: :zap: :books: :crystal_ball: :sparkles:

Hi Friends! You may notice that this term only covers half of Chamber of Secrets. As I was going through and writing down locations, I soon had as many as last term, when I was only partially done the book. I decided to break it down, so we’d have a fair number of prompts, but not be overwhelmed.

And a special Thank You to AntBee, who helped me with some of the prompts I was stuck on!

4 Likes

Is it okay to post a few items I finished between terms? Crafting for my STS shop really got a fire going the last week, but I don’t want to “cheat”!

ETA: Nor do I want to add pressure about continuing the terms one right after the other - I’m okay either way! Team “chill HPC that supports organizer’s mental health” all the way. :grin:

4 Likes

You can ABSOLUTELY post things you made between terms!

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P.S. As further clarification: We used to have a rule that you could only submit projects you made during that Term. That was because when the HPC first started, we had people coming out of the woodwork to participate. (For awhile it was 40-something participants.) Some of them wanted to post old crafts, just to grab points. I’m talking things they had made years before, just because it fit the prompt and they were ‘trying to help Ravenclaw!’ or whichever House they were in.

There are often times we can’t post a project to the HPC, maybe because it’s for a swap and hasn’t arrived yet, or it’s a surprise for a friend here on LC, or you just had a crazy month. That’s no problem. As long as it was a recently made item, it’s all good with me.

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Oh yay! I’ve been crafting like mad lately since my daughter and I are going to try to split a booth at a con this November. I’m hoping to post tomorrow. :slight_smile:

2 Likes

I’m new to this craftalong. How do I join a team? I’m leaning towards Daily Prophet or Which Broomstick. Or do I have to actually know the people I’m on a team with?

2 Likes

Hi @EclecticDreamer! Welcome to the HPC. We’re glad to have you here! You don’t need to do anything special to join a team, and you don’t need to know the members on that team. Just pick the team that speaks to you, and post your first project.

For years we used the Hogwarts Houses as teams, but the Craftalong had gotten a bit stale after 12 years, so we switched things up at the beginning of the year. The names you see on the list of teams are the folks who were on those teams in the spring.

3 Likes

I don’t have any finished projects for the semester yet, but I have to comment about how great the variety in the prompts are! I really enjoy the different options for each location.

3 Likes

Prompt/Challenge Title: Privet Drive
Project Name & Page Link: Memory Wire Suncatchers
LC Contest/LC Swap/Charity Item: Shop The Swap 2024
Team: Which Broomstick
Brief Description: I wasn’t planning to make any of these this year, but I got the bead box out for something else and suddenly I was making as many as I had the wire for!

Prompt/Challenge Title: Molly’s Housecraft Challenge: Scrap Busting
Project Name & Page Link: Orange Junk Journal Signature
LC Contest/LC Swap/Charity Item: Shop The Swap 2024
Team: Which Broomstick
Brief Description: I was determined not to buy anything to start junk journaling, so this whole project is made from paper supplies that I already had.

4 Likes

Prompt/Challenge Title: History of Magic Classroom
Project Name & Page Link: Itty Bitty Liberty Lawn Dresses
Team: Daily Prophet
Brief Description: I really liked the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale Thumbelina when I was a kid, not because of the story per se but because I was fascinated by tiny people (also a big fan of The Littles and similar tales). It’s one of the things that always go through my mind when I’m sewing for my tiniest dolls. I end up with dresses that are about as big as my thumb, as is traditional.

6 Likes

Prompt/Challenge Title: Privet Drive
Project Name & Page Link: Doll Shrug
Team: Daily Prophet
Brief Description: A million deadlines rushing towards me and what does my brain insist on doing? Knitting a doll shrug. Sure. Why not?

6 Likes

:tada::tada::tada: Happy Birthday, @MistressJennie!! :tada::tada::tada:
I hope you have had a fabulous day!

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Happy Birthday @MistressJennie! :partying_face: :birthday:

1 Like

@fishstix43 - Your suncatchers are so great (I love the one I claimed!) and your junk journal looks fun to flip through! (Junk journals are on my to-try-someday list. :slight_smile:)

@Trillian - I love seeing your tiny doll clothes - they’re so cute!

~

Prompt/Challenge Title: Crafter’s Choice #1
Project Name & Page Link: Christmas Gift Bags
Team: The Quibbler
Brief Description: I used up a bunch of christmas fabric making gift bags! I still have some left, so I might have to make a few smaller bags too. :grin:

Prompt/Challenge Title: Flooded Corridor
Project Name & Page Link: Frankenstein’s Monster & Killer Cabbage
Team: The Quibbler
Brief Description: I made these creepy cute little guys for a friend! For Frankenstein’s monster, I used this pattern. For the cabbage, I used this pattern and added the face with felt (it didn’t turn out exactly how I imagined & looks pretty silly, lol).

4 Likes

Thank you guys!!!

P.S. I promise I’m working on updating Hermione’s Homework Planner!

4 Likes

Prompt/Challenge Title: Privet Drive
Project Name & Page Link: Emotional Support Chicken
Team: The Quibbler
Brief Description: When I found this yarn in my stash, I knew it needed to be a chicken as soon as possible! This was a fun and fast project. :grin:

5 Likes

Hermione’s Homework Planner has been updated!!!

5 Likes

wands

At the age of 89, the remarkable Dame Maggie Smith has passed on. Please raise your wands.

7 Likes