Transfiguration January 2011

Happy New Year everyone, the partying has slowed a little and classes have begun.

This month our Transfiguration Professors must of known how much we over-indulged last month, they are letting us relax in the library. Don’t bet on the relaxing part though as I’m sure there will be lots of Vampires, Werewolves, Psychopaths, Deadly Viruses and maybe even Birds suddenly appearing.

Our Professors have ask us to pick a book, Harry Potter books and other J K Rowling’s books are not acceptable. They have issued this ruling on Comic/Graphic Novels,

To make a sweeping generalization, if it comes in issues and is flimsy, it’s a comic and not allowed. If it is bound like a book, it is allowed. If anyone has a title to suggest that seems to be in a grey area, please let us know!

Once we have picked our book we must: 1)Tell them which book was picked. 2) Craft something related to your book. Must be an HPKCHC approved craft (knit, crochet, spin, weave or dye). This information and other FAQs can be found in the page section of the header. 3) Let them know how your project relates to your book. 4) Don’t forget to add your yardage to the post also.

Projects that fit this class are endless.

Examples:

Green Eggs and Ham

Twilight Series

Splinter of the Mind’s Eye (Star Wars)

Call of the Wild

Moby Dick

Your project can be something a character might wear (sweater, socks, hat, mittens) or use (bag, washcloth, dishcloth) or part of a setting (blanket, pillow, flowers, birds)

The Professors hinted that there might be bonus points for exceptional book reports or picking a favorite book of the Professors. We need to start stalking these Professors, if you find out anything to help others please put your findings in the comments section.

February Transfiguration/DADA Ideas

This month we delve into our fears in this combined class.  Our Professors have caught a Boggart and it is our job to study our fears and to overcome them.

From the class description:
For Transfiguration: Make something scary. Either use a technique which intimidates you, or make something that represents the thing you fear.
For DADA: Make your scary thing unscary. Find a way to make your technique easy or your fears funny. Scared of lace? Try doing it with worsted weight on big needles. Scared of rodents? Mickey’s a mouse, but he’s not scary at all.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO BOTH CLASSES. The usual base points/bonus points will be available for completing one class or the other. Just mention which class it’s for when you turn it in.

That being said, if you choose to:
For Both: YOU MUST MAKE SEPARATE ITEMS FOR THESE TWO CLASSES. Our “One Project, One Class” rule is still in effect, since these are still separate classes, so don’t try to make a single thing and turn it in for both. If it’s something that comes in pairs, you have to make a whole pair for each class. You CANNOT do one sock for Transfig and one sock for DADA, and call that done.
Note: You CAN make TWO of something that’s not a pair, eg two dishcloths, amigurumis, etc. as long as each meets the requirements for the class you’re making it for. That being said, we will be giving a small bonus for completing both classes, provided your projects are related in some way. You can’t do lace for Transfig and mice for DADA, but if you connect them, we’ll reward that. (As well as the usual house colors/laughing bonuses)

These classes might be the trickiest for people to decide on because it is so subjective to your personal fears and how you deal with them.

For example - I am terrified of thunderstorms and will hide under blankets as soon as I see the first bolt of lightning, but I love rainstorms.  So for Transfiguration I'm making socks with a lightning bolt lace pattern on the leg of the sock (Horcrux socks, worsted weight version), and for DADA I'm making a shawl that represents rain drops.

Here are some common fears to maybe start you on the right path - water, heights, spiders, flying, confined spaces, vomiting, death, and cancer are all among the Top 10 Phobias.

If you need help with these two classes, leave a comment, send me a PM, or post in the common room for individual help.

January Transfiguration Ideas

This month you can put away your needles and hooks for Transfiguration!  Instead, class is all about organizing your queue and to learn how to fully use this function.

Most of us have used our queue as a basic place to toss projects we would eventually like to make.  This is our chance to organize things by tags and sets to locate specific patterns faster.

Both of these features can be accessed from the organize tab on your queue page.  Specific screenshots have been posted in the class thread already.  To find them faster click on the link next to the picture icon at the top of the thread next to where the number of posts is displayed.

The directions per the professors request are as follows:
The elements of an organized queue are:
~Patterns (at least 20) tagged for easy searching
~Next several planned projects (min. 5) moved to top of the list with any necessary notes made
~Categories (no less than 3) created with at least 3 patterns in each (eg: hats, baby items, toys)

The last set is to include a link to your queue or favorites page in your post.

For those of you who do not use your queue, you can tag items in your favorites instead.  The only difference is that sets/categories cannot be created in your favorites.

Because we're not actually crafting anything for this class, bonus points are up in the air as the professor has not stated any specific way to earn them.

While several of us have already completed this homework assignment already today, I hope this helps those who weren't 100% how to complete the assignment.

November Transfiguration Ideas

This month it is Human Transfiguration!  Turn yourself into something else.

The easiest way that I can think of to turn yourself into something else is with a hat.  While this is similar to DADA, Transfiguration is all about being something you are not.  This could be real or fictional.

My searching yeilded a lot of results, and this was just the hats with the "Free" filter on.  These are some of my favorites.

Frog Hat
Viking Hat
Yoda
Thing 1
Princess Tiara
Devil
Dinosaur
Marge Simpson
Pineapple
Pumpkin
Santa
Santa's helper
Shrek

Plus, BZ Crochet Designs has a ton of character inspired hats.

Happy Transfiguring!