The theme for challenge #3 is House Pride.

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin... it doesn't matter what your house! Show a little house love. Don't feel limited by the Sorting Hat either; maybe you could make a gift for the cute little Hufflepuff in your life. I figure the options are endless for you crafty ones! I can't wait to see what you come up with.


The Rules:

1. You have to begin it now, it can't be something you made before the challenge was issued.
2. It has to be related to the theme in some way, but not necessarily in the most obvious way.
3. You can use designs you found online or in books, or you can design something original.
4. You have two weeks from the date of the challenge issue to complete the craft.
5. Your craft can be any artisan craft medium; knit, crochet, wirework, beads, sculpture (bread dough, sculpey, fimo, porcelain clay, wood, stone, clay, metal art clay, glass, etc), food (cake deco, etc) or any other three dimensional object. Sorry, no graphics or pictures; we have other areas on SS that highlight that kind of art.
6. You must post a picture for us in this thread when you're done. Include info about it, what it's made of and such. If you want to share your pattern or include process pictures (how you make it), feel free!
7. This challenge is open and supportive of all levels of ability, from the very beginning beginner to the most advanced artist. All are welcome and praised!
8. Tell us what you're going to do with your final product; keep it, gift it or donate it.
9. First one to post their final project gets to pick the theme of the next challenge!!!

This challenge expires on May 3, 2008. (Though members are welcome to continue posting pics of any of their projects relating to the different houses in this thread after the challenge ends as well as the previous themes.

Here is my contribution for this challenge. It's a knit snake, in the colors of Slytherin house, of course! I have just replaced the photo, as the original one was horrible.



This was a very easy project. I found the pattern on line, here it is - Knitted Snake.

It is worked on double pointed needles, and is very easy to do. Since it is knitted in the round, all you have to work is the knit stitches on every row. I used 10 rows of green alternating with 6 rows of gray and just repeated. I made mine about 24", then stuffed it. I stuffed mine with more stuffing than what is shown on the pattern, because I wanted the snake to have more body (so I can curl it around and shape it, plus it looks more life-like.) I added red eyes which I added with a french knot and then added a tongue with the red.

This is a very good project for someone who is just learning to knit, as it's pretty basic. You can make the snake in any colors and patterns you choose, of course!

Slytherin isn't my house, but I couldn't resist making this beret in Slytherin colours. I might make another in Ravenclaw colours, too. This is from the bernat "Accessory Crazy" pattern book #530140 here.



I should've taken the pic with better lighting, but I took these pics as soon as it was done. I wanted to make sure I could post this before the next challenge starts hehe!

While we wait for the next challenge, I'll go ahead and post something I'm still in the process of working on. For my darling Hufflepuffs, the yellow citrine symbolically is believed to counteract snake poison. The black bead is glass.

I wish I'd gotten this up sooner (I'd planned on being first this time!) but, true to form instead of picking something quick and easy so I can "win" I went ahead and picked a challenge which I had to restart because I ran out of yarn the first time around and had to go out and buy something else. LOL

The crochet part of this is finished, though once I have time to actually to go to a store and look at fabric, I'll line it. I used the graph from this knitting pattern and crocheted the bag in the round using single crochet, size 3 cotton thread and a size 0 steel hook (or you can use a size E hook since they're both 3.25mm (I think that's right might be 3.5), I just don't have an E). Because the size 3 thread is so small I went back up to the strap and added 3 more rows of half-double crochet to give it a bit more thickness.