Tag Archives: harry potter

Harry Potter Party Revisit 3 – Classes

The bulk of our Harry Potter party all those years ago was the classes. Once the kids were in the house and had their uniforms, we were ready to go!

Charms – do homework like Harry!

feathers with angled points (a utility knife works for this)
India ink*
parchment paper (available in craft stores)
plastic tablecloth (to protect work area)

Dip quills into ink to write on parchment. They used india ink to dip their quills and wrote on parchment. While the kids write, discuss the place of quills in history and what it means to “blot” your paper, a phrase seen in the Harry Potter books. More information on quills.

*India ink stains, so make sure the kids are aware and being careful. Younger kids may need aprons or old shirts to protect their clothing.

Transfiguration-make your own owl

Felt owl bodies, pre-made*
felt face pieces (see above link), pre-cut in a variety of colors
feathers
glue
google eyes

Use the spell Strigiformes (“nocturnal bird of prey”) to transfigure a pile of supplies into an owl. Have the listed supplies out for students to choose from. After gluing owls together, leave to dry overnight.

Potions– Make Butterbeer!

plastic goblets or cups
root beer (½ cup for each student)
butterscotch syrup
vanilla ice cream
cookie scoop

Prepare ahead of time: Scoop ice cream with cookie scoop, placing scoops on cookie sheet. Harden in freezer for at least two hours before party.

Just before you need it, warm root beer in the microwave or stove top, making sure not to get it too hot. Each child receives a goblet approximately 1/2 full of warm root beer. Serve ice cream scoop with tongs, allowing each child to add his or her own. Serve butterscotch syrup in from a “potion bottle” or cruet. Enjoy!

Care of Magical Creatures – You have received special permission from the Ministry of Magic for your students to raise dragon eggs (very important, as it’s against wizarding law to own a dragon!).

Plastic or craft eggs that open
homemade slime
small toy dragons or charms (I like these)
acrylic craft paint, in a variety of colors (authentic colors can be found in Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them)
clear acrylic sealant

Prepare ahead of time: Paint eggs using craft paint, covering with sealant once dry. Allow to dry overnight. Fill with a small amount of slime and a small toy dragon. Placed the eggs in a small cauldron filled with polyfil before the guests arrive.

During the party: Explain that you have received special permission from the Ministry of Magic to raise dragon eggs for your Care of Magical Creatures class. Dragon eggs need to be kept warm, so keep near a fireplace if available. When it’s time for the eggs to hatch, have each child reach in a choose an egg. Their eggs then “hatch.”

The important part of this project is the suspense of what’s in the egg. During our party, the kids asked me dozens of times if it was “time.” When I finally announced the dragons were hatching, they were all very excited. They enjoyed the dragons and the slime!

Herbology-grow a magical plant!

small terracotta pot or small plastic cups
Jiffy soil pellets
herb or bean seeds
plastic spoon

Have students add soil to their cup or pot. Add a seed and water gently. Explain to the students that they need to add 1 spoon of water to the plants each day. They then wave their wand and say the spell “Exerceo” (roughly translated means grow or cultivate). Pots should be kept in a warm, sunny place, like a window.

Defense Against the Dark Arts – fight off Dementors using the Patronus Charm!

Long, dark cloak or “death” costume
willing actor to play a dementor
wands (see Diagon Alley from the last post)

Your students will be learning the incredibly advanced Patronus Charm. The Patronus charm creates a Patronus, or protector. A silver-colored being (each is different, according to who does the spell) races out of the wand to ward off Dementors. The charm consists of thinking of a happy memory and the saying the words “Expecto Patronum.”

Have the students think of happy memories. They can do this privately or as a group. Once they start practicing the charm, that’s the cue for the dementor to make it’s appearance. The dementor should back away in fear, eventually fleeing as the students perform their charms. While a very simple “class,” this was the most popular at our party!

Also see
- Part 1, Invitations and Decorations
- Part 2, Diagon Alley

As always, if you make any pattern or craft from Sewhooked you can share your photos by adding them to the Sewhooked flickr group!

Happy crafting

also available on The Leaky Cauldron – Crafts

Harry Potter Party, Revisit Part 1 – Invitations and Decorations

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My darling daughter turns 14 later this week. That’s her, on the front right. She’s next to her little brother. who himself just turned 11 this past December and is now old enough to attend Hogwarts. It was February of 2003; Order of the Phoenix had not yet hit book stores and there were only two HP movies so far.

While I sit and try to absorb these amazing thoughts and all the years my family has loved Harry Potter and the ways we’ve chosen to express that appreciation, it’s easy to remember when birthday parties were much more important than birthday presents.

I thought I’d take this week leading up to my daughter’s next step towards adulthood and relive a little of that young girl fandom love by sharing how we sent our kids and their friends to Hogwarts for a Very Magical Sleepover. Maybe the next time you feel like having a little adventure, you can go to Hogwarts, too!

Invitations

The invitation you use is the best way to get your party started! Create a letter from Hogwarts to the prospective “students” using the format of Harry’s first letter. Be sure to include party time, location, and what to bring (if it’s a sleepover, etc) and where to send reply “by owl” (email, phone number, etc.)

We printed our invitations on yellow parchment (from the local craft store) using the Lumos font and printed in, what else, emerald-green ink! These were rolled into scrolls and sealed with wax. I got the parents of the kids invited involved by hand delivering each invite so the parents could tell the kids an owl had stopped by with a letter for them!

To use the swirly and signature graphics, right-click and save!

You’ll need:

parchment paper
Lumos Font
image – Professor McGonnagall’s signature (from the American editions of Harry Potter)
image – “swirly” (also from the American eds.)

Here’s a sample letter:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY [Lumos Font]

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International confed. of Wizards)

We are pleased to inform you that you are invited to [reason for party], a Very Magical Sleepover [what we called our party]!

The party will be at [location], [location address]. It will take place [day, date & time].
Please bring your sleeping bag, pillow, pjs, toiletries, and any other muggle items you may need.
Student Uniforms will be provided.

We await your owl by no later than [RSVP date] (or you can call [name, phone and/or email]).

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

Decorations

Decorations can be simple and inexpensive. Be creative and use what you have on hand. Look at thrift shop and dollar stores for interesting “magical” items, potions bottles, interesting looking props, out of season Halloween costumes and decorations.

These are some of the decorations we used for our party:
Great Hall Enchanted Ceiling

Navy Blue Plastic Tablecloth
Glow in the Dark Stars
Low Temp Glue Gun
thumbtacks or push pins

Glue stars on plastic tablecloth in a random pattern. Use thumbtacks to hang over the eating area.

Potions Bottles

Empty Spice Bottles
chopped celery (dragon claw)
whole nutmeg (bezoars)
Pop Rocks Candy (fire crystals)
Food coloring (colored water for various potions)

Fill the empty bottles with a variety of contents. These are just suggestions, use what you have on hand for your own variety.

Party favors, class supplies and the feast, all add to the atmosphere. More on that in the next Harry Potter Party revisit!

As always, if you make any pattern or craft from Sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the Sewhooked flickr group!

Happy crafting

also available on potterparties and The Leaky Cauldron – Crafts

Way Back Craft: Gryffindor “Canopy”

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Canopy, approximately 2002

Well, we’re way past due for a Way Back Craft!

So, you want a Harry Potter bedroom? The very first thing I think of when I think of Harry’s dormitory, is the four poster bed with house-colored hangings. Wouldn’t that be fabulous?

It definitely would be.

Unfortunately, not all of us have the means or the space for a four poster bed.

This is the problem I encountered when designing a Harry Potter room for my daughter. Her room has a ceiling fan and the room is just too small for a four poster bed. The Gryffindor canopy was on her Must Have list when the room decoration was being planned. I have the great fortune to have two very DIY parents and the first thing that popped in my head was mounting something lightweight on to the wall.

How about a faux canopy that gives the feeling of those hangings without the actual expense or space requirements of a real four poster?

Then I started thinking price. Cheap would be good. Very good. PVC. PERFECT!

A fun aside on this project – when I was buying the fabric, the woman at the cutting table at the fabric store asked if I was making a dress. When I told her I was making a Gryffindor canopy for a Harry Potter bedroom, she stared with her mouth open. It was the first of many stunned looks directed at my fandom crafting!

Supplies

3 lengths of 1 to 1 1/2” PVC pipe cut into 18” (45.7 cm) pieces (use a hacksaw or have it done at your DIY store)

Note: PVC under 1” is not recommended because it’s too flexible. Make sure the threaded plug & metal flange will work with the pipe you chose. They’re easy to test at the DIY store.

3 threaded plugs
3 metal floor flanges
3 flat PVC caps
3 decorative wood rosette with a flat back
Epoxy, Liquid Nails or other cement-like glue
Primer spray paint
Gold spray paint (Use silver for Slytherin, bronze or silver for Ravenclaw and black for Hufflepuff)
Pencil
Measuring tape
Screwdriver
Drill (optional)
Screws with anchors
5 1/2 yards (5 meters) of red satiny fabric (Use green for Slytherin, blue for Ravenclaw or yellow for Huffelpuff)
matching thread
sewing machine (optional)

Instructions

Prewash fabric then hem on both ends, set aside.
Following manufacturer’s directions, use epoxy to glue the threaded plugs to one end of each of the PVC pipes. On opposite ends of pipes, use epoxy to attach the PVC caps. Epoxy the wooden rosette onto the cap. Allow epoxy to dry. Screw pipe into metal flange. Stand up on it’s end in a well covered, well ventilated area.
Paint with primer. Allow to dry according to manufacturer’s directions. Paint gold. Allow to dry overnight.
Find the center of your bed, mark a light line on the wall. Depending on the width of your bed and where you want the fabric to reach on the sides, you will need to attach the flanges lower or higher. If you have someone helping you, it’s a good idea to hold the center pipe in place with the fabric, centered, on the pipe. You can then determine how high the center pipe should be and where to place your two side pipes. They can be low or high, depending on your preference. Use measuring tape to assure the three pipes will be symmetrical.
Attach the metal flanges to the wall using screws and anchors, using the drill for pilot holes if necessary.
Screw pipes into each flange. Arrange canopy fabric.

Makes a great window treatment, too!

Also for your Harry Potter room: HP Bookcase Mural

p.s. I made the afghan, too. 😉

As always, if you make any pattern or craft from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the Friends of sewhooked flickr group.

Happy crafting

also available on The Leaky Cauldron- Crafts

Way Back Craft: Harry Potter Bookcase Mural

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It’s hard to believe I’ve never blogged about this project!

Years ago, I had a website called Jen’s Crochet and Crafts. It eventually morphed into sewhooked. The Harry Potter Bookcase Mural was originally posted there, along with the story of how it came to be.

When my almost-14-year-old-daughter was about to turn 8, she asked for a Harry Potter-themed room for her birthday. Being a big HP fan myself, I was as excited as she was to take on the project. Among her requests were castle walls, an enchanted ceiling, The Fat Lady on her door, red and gold hangings for her bed and a magical bookcase. I managed all of those things, but the bookcase remains my absolute favorite part of the project.

The original bookcase was drawn freehand with chalk. I’ve since made a map for use on an overhead projector, or, if you have a steady hand and feel up to it, to use as a free-hand guide.

Supplies:

Bookcase Mural Template printed on clear acetate
Overhead projector
Pencil or chalk
Masking tape
Dark semi-gloss paint for background
Paint roller and pan
Paint brushes, multiple sizes and shapes
Acrylic craft paints in multiple colors
List of books from the Harry Potter series
Permanent markers, various colors, fine & medium tips
optional: yardstick or long straight-edge
optional: egg cartons

You need a clean dry surface to start with. If painting on an older surface, you may want to paint with primer first.

Print the template on clear acetate and project the image onto the selected area. Position the bookcase where you’d like for it to appear. Use masking tape to outline the area that will become your bookcase.

Use semi-gloss paint and the paint roller to paint the taped-off area.

Paint a second coat if necessary. Allow to dry overnight.

Using a pencil or chalk, trace the bookcase (not the contents), adding a border if needed or desired. A ruler or yardstick comes in really handy for this step.

Paint bookcase shelves and allow to dry.

Starting with the top shelf, trace contents.

bottom left, close up

After tracing, paint contents using a variety of colors. An egg carton works great to have multiple colors available at once.

Repeat for all shelves, allow to dry overnight.

Using a variety of permanent markers, add book names using this list of books provided.

v
bottom right, close up

Randomly place books where you like, except for The Standard Book of Spells. Look for these on the second shelf from the top, on the right side. The seven books are more or less together, each with a line across the top of the binding (only 6 books are listed in the HP series, but I’m assuming there would have been a seventh if Harry had returned for his final year of school).

top left, close up

Add embellishments; names on potions bottles, cat whiskers, etc. with permanent markers.

Stand back and admire your work!

More photos from the Harry Potter bedroom with instructions on sewhooked

If you make this or any sewhooked crafts, I’d love to see a photo! Email me or add it to the Friends of sewhooked flickr group.

Happy Crafting!

Also posted on The Leaky Cauldron and cut out + keep

Faux “Knit” Crochet Hogwarts Scarf

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add to your ravelry queue

Printable Pattern

In July of 2006, I enjoyed one of the best trips of my life to Las Vegas, Nevada. My friend Hope and I went to Lumos, the first Harry Potter conference I attended.

I was still fairly new to the online Harry Potter fandom, though I’d been part of the HP world since 1999. I was a new moderator for Harry Potter Crafts (2006-2008) and was not yet working for The Leaky Cauldron as a Crafty Witch (2006-2007).

Lumos changed everything. Suddenly, the names of people I knew online had faces, and voices and hugs!

Prior to the conference, I went into a crafting frenzy. I’m a Ravenclaw, and of course needed a house scarf! I wanted to my scarf to look knit…but I’m not a knitter. It’s my daughter’s craft, and I have left it alone because it makes her happy to be able to do a craft that mom doesn’t!

Anyhow, I wanted a knit-look scarf and had played with Tunisian crochet before. After working out the width of the bars, I went to work. This is the result. It’s a narrow scarf because I wore it in Las Vegas…in July. Can you say HOT?

Faux “Knit” Crochet Hogwarts Scarf

Scarf as modeled in 2006 by my dearly departed Prissy

Uses the Tunisian “knit” stitch: Tutorial on Stitch Diva and on Crochet Cabana (there are lots more, use the one that works for you)
Example made in Red Heart worsted weight – Soft Navy & Carrot (for Ravenclaw)
“I” afghan or other long crochet hook (gauge varies by size – work with what you like best)

narrow scarf =ch 15, “movie” size=ch 42

Row 1: ch 15 for a narrow scarf, or 42 for wider “movie” size. Insert the hook into the 2nd ch from hook, yo, and pull loop through the chain stitch (2 loops on hook). *Insert hook into next chain, yo, and pull loop through ch*, rep *to* to end of row, leaving all loops on the hook. The number of loops on the the hook should be the same as the beginning foundation chain. Do not turn.

Row 2: Working from left to right, yo and pull through first loop on hook, *yo, and pull through next 2 loops*, rep *to* to end of row (1 loop left on hook).

Row 3: *Insert hook between the 2 double vertical strands of each loop (from front to back), below the chain formed by row 2, yo and pull through a loop (loosely)*, rep *to* across row.

Row 4: Repeat row 2

Repeat row 3 & 4 for pattern. When changing color, attach at end of even row at “1 loop left” so that the remaining loop is the new color. You can easily count the rows you’ve made by the ridges on the back of your work – each ridge equals 2 rows.

*1- 28 in MC 29 (14 ridges)

32 in CC (2 ridges)

33 – 38 in MC (3 ridges)

39-42 in CC (2 ridges)

43- 66 in MC (14 ridges)

Repeat 13 times. You should have 14 sets of “captured” bars and each end should be 28 rows long. Fold the entire scarf in half and whip stitch. The seam can be in the back or on a side – your choice. Whip stitch the ends closed and add short fringe all the way across.

*some resources describe Tunisian crochet with each ridge, or every two rows as one row. If you want to count like that, then think 1-14, 15-16, etc. when counting.

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

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This is part of my “Way Back Craft” series; patterns, crafts, tutorials and general crafty memories before the days of this craft blog.

This pattern is also available on The Leaky Cauldron.

Way Back Craft: Golden Snitch Antennae Ball

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I’ve been crafting Harry Potter-themed items since my first reading of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Philospher’s Stone for those outside the U.S.).

When I turn back my brain to 1999, I’m quite sure one of the very first things I made was a Golden Snitch. That first Snitch was not an antennae ball, but a soft version with actual feathered wings that my kids played with during their enthusiastic quidditch matches!

You can find many of my Harry Potter craft ideas both on sewhooked and in the Harry Potter Crafts section of The Leaky Cauldron.

Snitch Antenna Ball
by Jennifer Ofenstein
http://www.sewhooked.org

1 ball-shaped antenna ball
spay primer
gold paint (either spray or oil based in a can)
2 gold brads
white craft foam
Wing Pattern
a skewer or chopstick
old box or piece of Styrofoam
box cutter or Exacto Knife
hot melt glue OR Tacky Glue

***Please Note: When using spray paint work outside or in a well ventilated area***

Place the antenna ball on the skewer.

Poke the skewer into the box or Styrofoam. This will hold the ball in place for painting and give it a place to dry.

Prime the antenna ball. Follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions for drying.

Use gold paint to paint the ball. If using spray, follow manufacturer’s directions.

For brush on, if you have enough, dip the ball in the paint and allow most of the paint to drip back in the can before carefully placing it back in the drying area. Allow to dry overnight.

Cut two wing shapes out of the craft foam.

Using the Exacto knife, cut a small hole in the base of each wing and on either side of the ball where you want to place the wings. Do this by gently pushing the blade into the ball. It does not have to be very deep, just enough to poke the brad in.

Use the tip of the scissors to score the center of the wing (as shown on pattern). Do not cut, just create a gentle groove. This will help with the feathery shape of the wing.

Snip along the wing to create a feather shape (as shown on pattern). Stop 1/4″ from the scoring line.

Poke the brad through the hole in the wing. Place a dab of glue on the cut in the hole cut earlier in the ball and then push the brad into it, positioning the wing how you want it as you do so.

Repeat for the second wing.

Finishing touch – tack the wings together to keep them from drooping while they are on the antenna of your car.