HaR Apparitions - October 2009

Now, young wizards and witches, it is time to learn the art of Apparition. You must practice very diligently, and when you have practiced, you must complete an assignment showing your ability to Disapparate and Apparate.

Here is your assignment:
Disapparate from Hogsmeade to a destination of your choice. Go somewhere you’ve always dreamed of going! While there, learn a new knit, crochet, spinning or weaving technique or pattern, or create your own pattern based on something that inspired you about the culture you visited. Apparate back to Hogsmeade and spend your class time reproducing the technique or pattern or culturally-inspired project.

Once your project is complete, write a short explanation of where you went and what inspired your project.
The project is worth 10 points, the write-up is worth an additional 10 points. To earn the full ten points, your project must use approx. 200 yards of yarn (about one to one and a half typical skeins). Smaller projects will earn proportionally fewer points, and excessively larger projects may earn more. You may do as many projects as you like, but each must be a different technique or from a different culture.

Having just returned from my trip, I would love to share a bit about my adventures in Transylvania. Yes, it really exists for any who doubted actually a section of Romania. Transylvania's best known resident is one Vladimir Tepes aka Vlad the Impaler or perhaps you know him best as Count Dracula! The original vampire who's biography was written by Bram Stoker.

While there, I managed to visit his former homes, Bran Castle - the most famous one and also the home where it is believed he was born, Casa Vlad Dracul in the town of Sighisoara.

While I did not have the chance to meet Count Vlad, I did prepare in case such a meeting would arise, based on the advice of the locals and crocheted a neck cowl in the Count's colors of black and red to keep my neck warm in the Romanian chill, safe from the odd Vampire attacks and to honor the count with his favorite colors.