Slytherin Sock Syndicate

Day 24 Mistletoe is an Ingredient in the Antidote to Most Poisons and the Forgetfulness Potion. Mistletoe is used as Christmas decoration and was part of the decorations in the Room of Requirement just before the Christmas holidays. Luna remarked that Nargles frequently infest mistletoe. Later, Harry and Cho Chang were alone under the mistletoe, and this time Harry brought up Nargles out of nervousness, but Cho laughed and they kissed. The Lovegoods have mistletoe growing on either side of their front door with a sign saying “PICK YOUR OWN MISTLETOE”. Prompt knit 1 row of the  CHART  on sock A, Using green for the leaves and white for the berries. its been an absolute honour and privilege to be a part of this wonderful year here in the sock syndicate and I want to personally thank all my sock loving snakey house mates and those who visit from other houses to come here and share in the love of all things socks! Thankyou for your lovely company and wisdom and for another absolut...

 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...

Day 17 Leaping toadstools are ingredients in potions like the Invisibility Potion and Baruffio's Brain Elixir. They can be found in the Forbidden Forest and purchased at the Apothecary in Diagon Alley for three Galleons. During Harry's second year at Hogwarts, Ernie Macmillan asks Harry to pass him a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology class. PROMPT: 8 stitches on Sock A. Using red for the toadstools and something that evokes the Forbidden Forest 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 16 Dried nettles, stinging nettles. "All right, class, today we will learn to grow Nettles. Now, wipe those prickly expressions off your faces. This will be fun! I have prepared a lecture on the proper way to grow Nettles. Eyes on me, please." — Professor Sprout to third-year Herbology students[src] Nettles were used in potion-making: like Swelling solution, dried nettles were used in the Boil-Cure Potion and the Hair-Dying Potion. Nettles were presumably the main ingredients of beverages like nettle wine and nettle tea. Nettles could also be made into a soup, and were rumoured to improve the glossiness of one's hair.  Also known as witch hazel Nettle may refer to several species of plants of the genus Urtica in the Urticaceae family, though Wonderbook: Book of Potions explicitly identifies the variety used in potion-making as Urtica dioica. Historically, healing properties were attributed to nettle, and it was included in the Nine Herbs Charm of the Anglo-Saxons. Pr...

 Day 15. In occult practices, dogwood flowers, leaves, wood, or bark are believed to make conversations confidential and protect them from prying eyes. Dogwood flower oil is said to cloak written documents from unwanted scrutiny. The Dogwood flower is delicate and simple yet beautiful. Prompt 10 rounds on sock B Using a white or light pink to represent the flowers and the color of a secret or shadows 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.

DAY 14 "Moly is a powerful plant that can be eaten to counteract enchantments. It is a black-stemmed plant with white flowers." — Phyllida Spore, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi Moly is a not so well known magical plant, it you make it to a herbology NEWT that is when you will study it. not only can it be eaten to counteract enchantments it is also useful in potions such as the wiggenweld potion. It is thought to be the same herb used in the Odyssey and biologists have suggested it may be the snowdrop or a related species. Prompt 11 rounds on sock B using a black to represent the stems and a white to represent the flowers. 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. 

  "A common garden plant that is known to bite or attack if not taken care of. Its fangs are used in many simple potions and in cooking."— Description on seed packet at Dogweed and Deathcap         Fanged geraniums are usually blue or red flowering plants who's fangs are commonly used in potions, including Skele-Gro. Harry Potter received a minor bite from a Fanged Geranium during his Herbology OWL. They seem to live quite a long time - Professor Sprout's geranium, Gerald, is thought to be decades old!   PROMPT:  12 stitches on Sock A.       Using your favorite flower color for the geranuim and toothy white 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 12 The Flutterby Bush. Flutterby is a childish way of saying Butterfly. Fourth year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry learned how to prune the bushes in Herbology class. 2 In 1997, Mrs. Weasley planted two Flutterby bushes in the garden at The Burrow in preparation for the wedding of her son, Bill, to Fleur Delacour. The Flutterby Bush is a magical plant that quivered and shook. It produced flowers once a century that adapted their scent to attract the unwary. Smells like Home, fresh parchment, the sea & a crackling fire. Prompt 13 rows on Sock A Using a purple to represent the Flowers and green or your chosen colour for the back ground, 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. Chart

 Day 11. Hermione Granger : " Stop moving! I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare! " Ron Weasley : " Oh I'm glad we know what it's called, that's a great help " Hermione Granger : " Shut up! I'm trying to remember how to kill it! " Harry Potter : " Well, hurry up, I can't breathe! " — The Trio falling victim to the Devil's Snare This plant used its creepers and tendrils to ensnare anyone who touched it, binding their arms and legs and eventually choking them. The harder a person struggled against Devil's Snare, the faster and more tightly it bound them. If the victim was able to maintain their presence of mind and relaxed, the Snare would relax its grip on them. Struggling or resistance to Devil's Snare would cause the plant to exert a greater force of constriction. Devil's Snare preferred a dark, damp environment. It would stop its movement in the environment in front of bright light and would recoil...

   DAY 10 Knotweed is grown both in the greenhouses and can be found growing wild in the forbidden forest. It's an essential ingredient in polyjuice and invisibility potions. it has small white flowers on it's stems that can resemble a knotty mess. Some of you may be more familiar with its appearance in the knotweed mead Rosmeta brews down at the three broomsticks Prompt 15 rounds on sock B Using a white for the colour of the flowers and  a good dark contrast colour knit the CHART . 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.  

  Day 9 Dirigible plums are small orange magical fruits that look similar to radishes. They appear to float around the bush that they grow on. They are edible and were occasionally served at Hogwarts. The Lovegood home had a bush outside their front door, and Luna often wore dirigible plum earrings. PROMPT:  16 stitches on Sock A.  Using orange for the plums and blue for the background to signify the plums floating in the air, 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 8 is the Venomous Tentacula!  A magical plant with mobile vines, the Venomous Tentacula had a highly venomous bite as well as poisonous shoots and spikes. Used in Herbology classes at Hogwarts, for potions and combat, they spit acid at enemies. The Vines have tried to strangle students but a Severing Charm could be used to stun the plant and sever its vine.  Prompt 17 Rounds on Sock A Using a red to represent the leaves and vines and green or black for the back ground, 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.  Chart

 Day 7. "Welcome back, class! Today we will be studying the ravenous Chinese Chomping Cabbage. I hope you brought snacks! The Chinese Chomping Cabbage has a big appetite, but you'll learn that soon enough. Let's start by learning how to avoid getting chomped by the Chinese Chomping Cabbage." — Professor Sprout to her fifth-year Herbology students During the 19th century, an unidentified Dark wizard attempted to take over the British Ministry of Magic with some Chinese Chomping Cabbages, but he was stopped by Helen Thistlewood, an Auror, who was armed only with a basket of Bouncing Bulbs. PROMPT: 18 Rows on SOCK B Select a deep purple for the teeth and the color of your favorite vegetable for the inside. 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.

 DAY 6 "As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." - Severus Snape Aconite, also known as wolfsbane and Monkshood, the leaves are a dark green and the flowers purple.  When handling this plant in herbology it is recommended you wear your dragonhide gloves. Its flowers were useful in potion-making, but its leaves were very toxic. The root of aconite could be used as a potion ingredient. Aconite was most commonly known as an ingredient of Wolfsbane Potion, but it was also an ingredient in Wideye Potion Prompt 19 rounds on sock B using a green and a purple. 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. 

Day 5 Gillyweed is an aquatic plant that looks like a bundle of grey-green rat tails. When eaten, it gives the person gills, webbed hands, and webbed feet, and it allows them to breathe underwater. Harry Potter used Gillyweed to help him successfully complete Task 2 in the Triwizard Tournament.      PROMPT:  20 stitches on Sock A.       Using two contrasting aquatic colors, 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  

 sorry for the delay I think the nargles got to the day four posting   DAY 4 Mimbulus mimbletonia is a rare plant that is like a cactus with boils instead of spikes. Its known for its pulsating and squirming nature and It's used to heal magical creatures and releases stinksap when touched. Neville was holding one in 3rd year at Hogwarts. PROMPT 21 rounds on sock A using the chart found HERE and the key below the chart for your mimbulus mimbletonia. For toe-up socks, start at the bottom right at 1. For cuff-down socks, start at the top left at 1. The outlined stitches are omitted for the 68-st sock and included for the 72-st sock. if 4 colours are too much please use any combination of background and plant colour.

 Day 3. " Dittany is a powerful healing herb and restorative and may be eaten raw to cure shallow wounds. " —  Phyllida Spore ,  One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi Dittany was a healing and restorative herb, one of the plants found in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. In addition to dittany's essence being applied topically, the raw plant could be consumed to heal shallow to moderate wounds.  Hermione Granger used Essence of Dittany to heal Ron Weasley's arm when he splinched it Disapparating soon after the trio's escape from the British Ministry of Magic in 1997. She used it again to heal the snake bite Harry received on his arm from Nagini after they were attacked in Godric's Hollow, and once more following the Break-in of Gringotts, to heal the burns they had received from the burning treasure contained with the Lestrange Vault. Dittany might have been quite rare, because Hermione was only able to obtain a small bottle of Essence of Dittany for her, H...

 DAY 2  "Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state." - Hermione Granger A Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a magical and sentient plant which has a root that looked like a human (like a baby when the plant is young, but maturing as the plant grows). When matured, its cry could be fatal to any person who heard it. Mandrakes not only resembled humans, but also had similar behaviours to them. In the 1992–1993 school year at Hogwarts, the school's Mandrakes, at one point of time, became moody and secretive, which indicated that they were reaching adolescence. Later on, they threw a loud and raucous party, which was comparable to humans when they are teenagers, which made Professor Sprout very happy indeed. Madam Pomfrey also mentioned the Mandrakes having acne. Mandrakes were fully matured when they started moving into each others' pots. Prompt 23 rounds on sock B usin...

Day 1 - Whomping Willow   Our first foray into the study of Herbology is the Whomping Willow. Planted in 1971 (the same year Remus Lupin arrived at Hogwarts), this tree has protected many a dark secret at Hogwarts. The tree will violently hit anything that comes near it, though there is a specific knot that - when pushed - will temporarily paralyze the tree. Its silvery bark is a stark contrast to the secrets that it hides. If you wish to use today’s color prompts, choose a silvery grey color for the tree and a dark mysterious color for the background. You can find the Whomping Willow chart  HERE