well done!
That’s beautiful! Great job!!
~ ADVANCED STUDIES PROPOSAL ~
**Project Name:**Blanket of Calm
**House:**Gryffindor
Brief Description: I have never crocheted before but now seems a good time to start! There’s lots of explanation in the pattern for beginners like me so I think this should be doable. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/blanket-of-calm Timeline-wise… I truly have no idea how long this will take, having never crocheted and not being able to judge how quickly it will proceed. But it will be an adventure!
May I suspend my current Advanced Studies project? After sitting on the needles for a couple years I think it’s safe to say I have well and truly lost momentum on it.
In its place I would like to propose a new project
~ ADVANCED STUDIES PROPOSAL ~
Project Name: Monster Quilt
House: Hufflepuff
Brief Description: This is a multi-stage process that involves fabric selection, sewing, cutting, and arranging blocks, plus quilting and binding. It usually takes about three weeks to finish a quilt. Unlike all my other quilts this does not yet have an intended recipient, but I just feel like sewing something big and whimsical.
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Yes! I will update the log for you (and @RubeusUmbrella) tomorrow!
And - done! Both of your proposals have been added to the Advanced Studies Project log. Happy Crafting!
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Class or Challenge Title: Book Club: Chapter 9, The Midnight Duel (Something you can fly through)
House: Gryffindor
Project Name & Page Link: I made the digital file myself
Brief Description: I recently bought a second hand embroidery machine, and I’m so excited! I’ve wanted one for ten years 
I’ve had the best time playing around with the software and designing badges. I love designing things for people, so if there’s anyone who’d like to do a personal swap, please let me know! (I hope that’s ok to write here?)
The great thing about this style of crafting, and why I chose it for this challenge, was that once it’s designed there’s very little ‘hands on’ crafting time, so I can do something else if I wanted. Although at the moment I’m so mesmerized by the machine I just sit and watch it embroider! 
Project Picture:
6 Likes
Class or Challenge Title: Basic Broomcare
House: Gryffindor
Project Name & Page Link: Herb Garden & Flower Extravaganza
Brief Description: I normally plant my herb garden, and fill all the flower planters in late March, but due to pandemic, I didn’t get around to it. So now that things are slowly reopening, I decided to pick up some plants, and get working. The mint, sage, chives and oregano came back from last year. I planted new parsley, dill, basil, and thyme. I also picked up a jalapeno, a bell pepper, and a pineapple ground cherry plant, which is akin to a tomatillo. So far the bell pepper and the pineapple ground cherry are growing a bit, and starting to bloom, while the jalapeno is going nuts. It has doubled in height in about a week. Meanwhile I am trying to regrow green onions from their roots. (The pot on the far right.) They have taken off quite well.
As for the rest of the house, I filled the mailbox planter, the pots on the front porch with some beautiful calla lilies, and my little teacup planter with impatients. Now the house is all cheerful for our summer in quarantine.
Project Picture:
2 Likes
Note from the Headmistress…
My dear Friends, in deference to the diversity of our group, I try to keep our Craftalong relatively free of politics. Many of us see the HPC as a refuge from the world around us, and I try to maintain that to the best of my ability. But once in a while, something in the real world comes up which must be addressed. This is one of those times.
I know many of you will have either seen or heard about the transphobic comments made by JK Rowling. The stance Rowling has taken has angered, frustrated, and hurt many trans people, especially young fans of her books. This is all the more heartbreaking amid the background of violence we are seeing right now in America, by police, against unarmed protestors working to change racist systems and ideologies. It can be difficult to reconcile a love & fandom for for a work of fiction, art or film, when fundamentally disagreeing with its author or creator on an important topic. After all, Rowling told us that Hogwarts would always welcome us back home, and reminded us that that love is the greatest magic in our world.
So where does that leave us?
It leaves us just where we always have been; a place of uncompromising love and inclusivity.
I want all of you here to know, in no uncertain terms, that YOU are welcome here.
You are welcome here if you are cis or trans gender. You are welcome here if you are gay, straight, bi, poly, or asexual. You are welcome here if you are a person of color or if you are white. You are welcome here if you are devoted to a specific religion, if you are open to spirituality, or if you are an atheist or agnostic.
What is not, and will never be welcome here, is racism, bigotry, intolerance, or cruelty.
This is, and always will be, a place of sharing, creativity, and most of all, love.
13 Likes
**Class or Challenge Title: Herbology
**House: Hufflepuff
**Project Name & Page Link: Ori from the video game Ori and the Blind Forest
**Brief Description: I worked really hard to beat this game with my husband coaching me, and I wanted something to remember it by. I made an armature from jewelry wire and aluminum foil, sculpted with beige super Sculpey that actually looks really creepy, and painted with acrylic paint. I tried to add some shading with pastels but was largely unsuccessful. He could definitely stand to be smoother but I like him! I’m going to get some 2 part epoxy glue and attach him to his rock. I might even make a little environment for him from the absurd amounts of Sculpey I have left.
**Project Picture:
3 Likes
Class/Challenge: Detention: WIP 1/2
House: Ravenclaw
Project Name: Happypotamus
Brief Description: For detention, I finished a WIP from last year. I started working on it again last month & finally finished it!
Project Picture:
before I started working on it again:
(pattern)
6 Likes
Is there “class suggestions” list for OWLS and NEWTS?
Hi @Teachergirl! There is not currently a list of “class suggestions” for OWLs and NEWTs. We have recently transitioned from “OWLs and NEWTs” specifically to “Advanced Studies” in general. You are free to associate your Advanced Studies project with a particular area of study, but you do not have to. As long as your proposal is sufficient in terms of a more in-depth project that will take you at least 3-4 weeks to complete, then you can go forth an propose and start crafting!
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I had not heard those remarks from J.K. and now, reading about it, makes me so sad. Thank you for the reminder of what an inclusive place we get to share!!
Class/Challenge: Basic Broomcare Challenge
House: Ravenclaw
Project Name and Link: Pandemic Garden!
Description: Last term I put up deer fencing and made and filled planter boxes with soil. I also put in plants and seeds. Since then, I’ve been spending hours every week in the garden taking care of weeds, trimming leaves back so smaller plants can grow, and picking off bugs like caterpillars, earwigs, and cicadas. This week I finally got to harvest my broccoli! In progress photos below. I’ll show before and after pictures from June 1st to this morning.
The view of all three garden beds together.
Pics from this morning of separate garden beds. I’m battling pincher bugs so don’t mind the Swiss cheese holes on my horseradish.
Bonus shot of a sweet bee in the pumpkin vine growing up the tree trunk stump:
3 Likes
Class or Challenge Title: Quidditch - Basic Broomcare Challenge
House: Slytherin
Project Name & Page Link: Bees wax dog bowl
Brief Description: I try to walk my neighbours dogs at least once a day, and some times I want to go on slightly longer trips, but now during the summer months I feel bad if I don’t bring water with me for the dogs. I don’t want to bring a bowl with me (as I did the first time) and I don’t want to buy something, so I googled how to make my own water bowl and found this instruction. I’m planning to add a little more bees wax at the bottom but overall it works great, and it barely takes any space once folded. You can’t see the water in it but it’s there, now I have more space in my backpack for another water bottle instead of a bowl.
Project Picture:*
3 Likes
What a fabulous idea! Thanks for sharing 
Class or Challenge Title: Study of Ancient Runes
House: Hufflepuff
Project Name & Page Link: Amista Baker’s Popcorn Pouch Pattern (size small)
Brief Description: As part of a graduation gift for a younger cousin I made a pencil pouch using the popcorn pouch pattern and all stash materials. While the denim and charm were items I had purchased myself at some point in the past, the lining, zipper, and binding fabric for the end all came from her grandmother’s stash - my great-aunt Gloria who was a wizard with a sewing machine. As a side note, I’m not terribly pleased with the functionality of the finished product - it looks a lot more sophisticated than my usual felt + fabric pouches but the capacity isn’t as great. But it’ll do for now.
5 Likes
Class or Challenge Title: Divination
House: 
Gryffindor
Project Name & Page Link: Glitter Vinyl Bookmarks
Brief Description: I have recently been getting into sewing with vinyl and saw a picture of something sparkly behind vinyl and I got this idea 
I love how they turned out! One is for me and two are for friends. A tip to sew well with the vinyl is to set your machine stitch length to 3, so it’s less of a ‘perforation’ line. Sparkle Sparkle! 
Project Picture:
4 Likes
That water bowl is such an awesome idea! Definitely stealing that as I’ll be making beeswax wraps next week also.
And the sparkly book marks! So cute!
1 Like