Slytherin Sock Syndicate

 Day 23. Slytherins tended to be ambitious, shrewd, cunning, strong leaders, and achievement-oriented. They also had highly developed senses of self-preservation. This means that Slytherins tended to hesitate before acting, so as to weigh all possible outcomes before deciding exactly what should be done. According to Albus Dumbledore, the qualities which Salazar valued in the students he had chosen included cleverness, resourcefulness, determination, and "a certain disregard for the rules". Dumbledore noted that all of these were qualities possessed by Harry Potter, who was a Gryffindor but was almost placed in Slytherin. Slytherins tended to take charge and possessed strong leadership skills. They were often self-assured and confident of their own competence and can be very loyal. What garden is complete without a garden snake?  PROMPT 2 Rounds on SOCK B Using Emerald Green, knit and purl the  CHART  

 DAY 22 A cousin plant to the much more deadly Moonseed, Moondew plants are night flowering blue flowers, the collected nectar of which, as well as the sap, is a powerful ingredient in several healing potions, including the Wiggenweld potion. Found throughout Scotland and Ireland, it can also be grown in suitable greenhouses elsewhere. The magical properties of the Moondew plant were originally discovered by the Healing druidess Cliodna, in the middle ages, and have been used ever since.  Prompt 3 rounds on sock B using white for the flowers and a contrasting darker colour knit the CHART linked. For toe-up socks, start at the bottom right at 1. For cuff-down socks, start at the top left at 1. The gray stitches are omitted for the 68-st sock and included for the 72-st sock. if you wanted to you could use both of those colours for your mandrake and pick a contrast for the background.

  Day 21 Belladonna, also known as Deadly Nightshade is a mundane plant with magical uses. Belladona is poisonous and unsafe for human consumption. In magical lore, aconite combined with belladonna was applied as a magical ointment by witches to make themselves fly. “Bella donna” is Italian for “fair lady”, originating either from its usage as cosmetic for the face, or, more probably, from its usage to increase the pupil size in ladies. PROMPT:  4 stitches on Sock A.  Using either a dark or shiny yarn to represent the dark, shiny berries and a contrasting color for the background, knit the CHART linked. For toe-up socks, start at the bottom right at 1. For cuff-down socks, start at the top left at 1. The gray stitches are omitted for the 68-st sock and included for the 72-st sock. CHART

Day 20  “What would I get if I added powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?” Snape asks. Wormwood is a plant referenced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by Professor Snape. In the wizarding world it can be used for healing potions as well as elixirs of death. Wormwood in real life is an herb that’s used to treat gastrointestinal issues and is also found in some liquors such as Vermouth. To take this one step further I’d like to mention a hidden message behind this quote in the series. Apparently Asphodel is a type of Lily which means ‘my regrets follow you to the grave’ and Wormwood means ‘absence’ and references bitter sorrow (Marie Claire). Which might mean that Snape is trying to say that he bitterly regrets Lily’s death. Furthermore, according to Snape, the combination produces a drought of living death. So maybe he’s also saying life without Lily is like a living death. Prompt Knit 5 rows on sock A. Using green for the wormwood and black for the living d...

 Day 19. Blackthorn, which was a very unusual wand wood, had the reputation — in Garrick Ollivander's opinion well-merited — of being best suited to a warrior. This does not necessarily mean that its owner practised the Dark Arts (although it is undeniable that those who did so will enjoy the blackthorn wand's prodigious power); one found blackthorn wands among the Aurors as well as among the denizens of Azkaban and Death Eaters. It was a curious feature of the blackthorn bush, which sported wicked thorns, that it produced its sweetest berries after the hardest frosts, and the wands made from this wood appeared to need to pass through danger or hardship with their owners to become truly bonded. Given this condition, the blackthorn wand would become as loyal and faithful a servant as one could wish. PROMPT 6 rows on SOCK B In a dark brown or black for the branch and a color from your favorite superheros uniform, knit the CHART  linked. For toe-up socks, start at the bottom righ...

 DAY 18 Asphodel (also known as Royal Staff) is a member of the lily family and has long and slender leaves. It is found worldwide, and was known to grow in the Hogwarts grounds. The plant was not native to Great Britain or Ireland, and required special, well-drained soil to grow. Muggles used to believe the plant grew in the underworld. Sixteen known types of the plant existed, each with their own needs. Asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus) is a relative of the lily and native to Europe.  The ancient Greeks associated it with the death and the underworld, believing there was a meadow of asphodel in Elysian Fields, and considered it sacred to Persephone, goddess of the spring and queen of the underworld. Asphodel was once believed to be a favourite food of the dead, and so was commonly planted near graves. Prompt 7 rounds on sock B using a very light colour for the flowers and a darker contrast for teh background. knit the CHART linked. For toe-up socks, start at the bottom right at...