The Shrieking Shack

::The wind slams the door open and Yarnpiggy drops onto the floor, slightly disoriented::
::Beyby lowers her wand back onto her lap:: Ah a lovely, Ravenclaw. Are you hurt? No? Good! Take a seat please. We are busy, busy and I am must hurry ::A snarl comes from behind the wall of the next room:: SHUTUP!

::Yarnpiggy jumps::

Beyby: Oh not you dear! Sit please. ::waves to a crooked chair::

::Yarnpiggy gets up and makes her way to the chair across from Beyby, which now only has three legs::

Beyby: Please tell me there is something interesting about you.

Yarnpiggy: My real name is Hilary. I live in a tiny basement studio in North Vancouver, BC, where I grew up, but I've been fortunate to live and travel in many other places, too.

My professional background is in magazine publishing, where I've worked as a writer and editor. I'm currently unemployed, save for a bit of freelance editing, and am going through a bit of a mid-life crisis (although I'm far too young for one, really, LOL!) and thinking about changing career paths. I've been thinking about training to be a vet tech, but at this point, who knows?

 Beyby: I say change careers. I’ll be doing it this September. You seem pretty clean … any juicy addictions I can exploit…er understand … to get to know you on a more personal level? ::Beyby ready’s her pen and paper::

Yarnpiggy: Hmmm...addictions? Well, chocolate would have to top the list. Avocados would be pretty high up there, too. :-)

::Beyby lowers her pen and sighs. A loud thump, followed by a whine comes from behind the wall. Beyby turns around::  NO! NO MORE CHOCOLATE FOR YOU! NOT AFTER THE LAST FIASCO! ::She turns back::  Next! Hobbies?

::Yarnpiggy looks in the direction of the noise, but decides not to ask:: I've recently become very interested in natural dyeing. So far I've dyed wool using coffee, turmeric and black bean juice, and I've currently got two dyes brewing: avocado pits an avocado skins. Unfortunately my wee apartment has absolutely no garden space; I'd love to grow my own dye plants (and veggies!). I' like to get an allotment at a community garden someday; unfortunately, the waiting lists are quite long.

::Beyby sighs at the thought of perfectly good coffee going to waste on yarn instead of in her cup, but then imagines that sitting under a coffee colored blanket, sipping coffee might just be a little fabulous::

 Yarnpiggy: As for non-fibre-related hobbies, my favourite thing to do is to travel. If I ever won the lottery, I'd pack up and travel the world for years! My favourite destination so far has been India; I've been twice and would love to return. But there are plenty of places I want to see for the first time, too, especially New Zealand, Peru, Egypt, Botswana, Italy...I could go on forever!

I also love to cook and bake, and make jams and chutneys. I rather enjoy my food! I should probably enjoy somewhat less food, in fact! 

Beyby: Never! You’re allowed to enjoy it as much as you want! Traveling is the best. My next goal is New Zealand actually. So how long have you been knitting anyway?

Yarnpiggy: I guess I've been knitting for almost four years, now, although I'm still really a beginner. I did knit for about half an hour when I was about 12 or so, but my mother gave up on teaching me, as I was a grumpy, impatient student and was rather impossible to teach, LOL. So when I finally picked up the needles again, I started to teach myself from the Internet (knittinghelp.com), and by getting help from my friend's mother (my mother now lives in another town, much to her relief, I'm sure! LOL).

Beyby: Yes well I like to think that those who are the hardest to teach can be the greatest when they learn. I may have a purpose for you yet. ::She quickly jots something down:: Just because we knit, doesn’t mean we can’t be bad … ever knit anywhere you shouldn’t have?

Yarnpiggy:   I probably shouldn't admit to this, but I suppose it would have to be a storeroom at my old office  …. when I wasn't on an official break.  

::Beyby nods and grins:: Excellent! I love naughty knitting! Any project you have been afraid to try and would maybe like a push from house members?

Yarnpiggy: I am not a fearless knitter. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am very hesitant to try new things, and thus am still pretty much a beginner even four years on. I think this is mainly because I am a perfectionist, and hate making mistakes. I do know, of course, that you learn by doing, and that it's ok to make mistakes...but I don't always feel that way. So there are many things I've been afraid to try. I am currently attempting to knit three pairs of socks this term for my Transfiguration O.W.L. But I've barely started the first pair, and January is almost over! So I could certainly use a push there!

::Beyby quickly stands up and pushes Yarnpiggy out of her chair:: Knit Claw knit! Destroy that sock yarn!

::Yarnpiggy stares up in shock::

::Beyby gracefully sits back down:: So what has been your favorite thing about the cup so far? Oh! You’re on the floor! Quick! Get up before he smells you!

::Yarnpiggy jumps back into the chair. It tilts over slightly where the missing leg used to be:: … Besides the fun of seeing what my fellow students are knitting and crocheting? What I really like about the cup is that it encourages me to actually knit. That might sound strange, but as much as I love yarn and knitting patterns, and knitting tools, I sometimes need that push to actually knit. That's why I call myself the Queen of the Pre-Process knitters. I've even designed a quiz for others to see if they are pre-process knitters, too. It's on my blog.  

Beyby: Excellent! ::Beyby points her wand at herself:: SONORUS *AHEM* QUIZ FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE .. Quietus .. You’re stranded on a desert island, what needles and yarn would you want?

Yarnpiggy: This is a great question!

Beyby: I know! Isn’t it?

Yarnpiggy: Well, if could have just one of each, I guess I'd choose a 4.5 mm/US 7 needles and Malabrigo Worsted yarn. That would work for hats, scarves, cowls and blankets. Though I suppose I'd need to hope it wasn't too warm a deserted island!

Beyby: Interesting! You wouldn’t happen to know what your Patronus might be?

Yarnpiggy: I certainly do! My patronus is a flying pig.

Beyby: Not a typical answer. I like it! Hmmm … what if I were to open the cupboard with the Boggart in it … what would that be for you?

Yarnpiggy: I hope I don't offend anyone -- different strokes for different folks, as it were -- but my Boggart is a giant skein of Noro Kureyon, complete with huge pieces of very sharp vegetable matter, that likes to attack and eat fingers.

Beyby: Ooooh that’s a little dark. Nice … very nice … so … ::Beyby adds to her notes and then leans in, speaking in a very serious voice:: if immortality were offered to you … would you accept?
Yarnpiggy: No, I don't think I would. I sometimes think I was born too late as it is! I'm not sure how I'd handle never-ending change. LOL.

::Beyby’s face starts to turn shades of red and violently scribbles out everything on the page:: BAH! I think it time for you to leave!

::Yarnpiggy slowly stands looking concerned and leaves the Shrieking Shack …. Beyby fumes in the chair, burning small holes in the door where her eyes were focused. A quiet snarl comes from the back room:: I know! I know! We must be patient ::There is a loud crack and the room is empty::