Secrets, Secrets are No Fun

So I finished the secret project, a black shawl...

...which still needs blocking, obviously.  I'll post true FO pics with description and pattern link once it's in the hands of its rightful owner.

Here's the two-part bad news:
1) I don't currently own blocking wires.  So that has to happen first.
2) I'm about to start another secret shawl project— 

Wait, where are you going?! There's a picture!  Please stay!

Busting stash cuz I got no cash!

I'm also working on a not-at-all-secret second modified Burnished Bronze Shrug [Rav link] for my friend's excellent wedding, and I'm not even procrastinating:

CAT and eric are keeping me entertained to the tune of ten rows a night.  AND I made dinner.  Booyah!

Thar's a Hurricane a-Comin

Most people in the western hemisphere are aware that Hurricane Irene is taking a jaunt up the east coast of the United States this weekend:

image via crisislanding.appspot.com

I live very near that turquoise cone of doom, and while I may be just west enough to be safe from the bulk of the damage, there's no doubt that something's in the air today...

 

The first few drops have started to fall.  We're hunkered down tight.  Stay safe, everybody.

Knitwear at the Movies: Little Children

Have you seen Little Children?  It was a really good movie. Several people thought so.  Not a lot of knitwear, I must admit; that's not really the draw.  But there was this pretty awesome skater hat...

A Pretty Awesome Skater Hat

 

It's not a skater hat per se, but the young gentleman wearing the hat was cast as a sk8r boi (hate you, Avril!) and he probably wants to be Shaun White.  ANYWAY.

This slouchy beret seems so soft, yet still structured enough to keep its shape and show off the stitch definition for the cabling.  The openwork lattice motif is unisex and appropriate for basically any cold-weather situation.

Since there aren't a lot of patterns to "round-up" for this post and I couldn't find this specific pattern already written, I may just have to figure it out for myself.  Eventually.  For now, you just get some look-similars.  You're welcome!

Pretty Darn Close

Fenimore [Rav link] by Jared Flood; $5.00 USD
Gramps Slouch [Rav link] by Kate Oates; $6.00 USD

Kinda Remindy

free!  Tidal Bore Beanie [Rav link] by Inge Sandholt
Double Crossed [Rav link] by Katie White; $4.50 USD
Diamant Tam [Rav link] by Lindsey Stephens; $4.95 USD

Still Here, I Swear

I've been knitting and watching movies and working and knitting some more!  Who knew my secret project would be this much of a timesink?... (A: not me.)

lotso stitches, lotso yarn

More after cast off and blocking -- almost there!

Getting Back on the Knitting Horse

All that movie watching and I've only gotten halfway finished with my secret project??:

Well.  That's just sad.

And I've watched a lot more movies that I've detailed here.  Tip for you: do not watch "Pretty Baby" starring Brooke Shields; it's very well acted, but criminy, I couldn't handle the subject matter.  I pride myself on being pretty unflappable -- is it in print? I can read it -- but sometimes onscreen images get under my skin in the worst way.  A scene in which a twelve-year-old's virginity is sold to the highest bidder made me physically ill; I'm sure it's worse for me now that I have a daughter... just heartbreaking.

ANYWAY: during my blog break, I did some knitting every night.  I've had two projects going on at once: said secret project PLUS a prototype for a shrug for the bridesmaids at my friend's wedding in November.  It's the Burnished Bronze Shrug [Rav link] by Lion Brand Yarn, knit with three skeins of Bernat Satin Solids in Amber.  I'll link to the project page on Ravelry, but no pictures here yet, as my self-photo shoot was rather disastrous.

So this post is kinda lame.  But at least it's not Potter-related.

The last HP post for a good long time

I didn't quite intend for this blog to be hijacked by Pottermania, but I am a bit of a superfan and I don't know when I'm going to be able to see the movie and there's lots of knitwear in the series and I'm done with excuses now.  This is it.

Hey, is it just me, or should these guys be cast as brothers at some point?:

left: Jason Isaacs AKA Lucius Malfoy; right: Mad Men's Jon Hamm

Also, in case anyone has been doubting my HP cred:

on the right: movie hand holding movie prop; on the left: my actual hand holding actual box.

There was a chocolate frog in the chocolate frog box at one point, but I eated it.  And, because "chocolate frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect":

Rowena Ravenclaw  Medieval (precise dates unknown)

"One of the four famous Founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Rowena Ravenclaw was the most brilliant witch of her time, though legend has it that a broken heart -- cause unknown -- contributed to her demise."

You can expect our regularly scheduled knit-blog programming on my return.  I'm going to let the incomparable Tessa sing us out because this is my new favorite thing:

Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

HEY guess what, it's August.  I completely burnt myself out with the earlier pace, hence the gigantic break.  This one is long overdue, so here it goes:

Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

relevant links to the KM post with pictures are helpfully provided in the pattern title heading

Screen Grab: Hermione's Hat

This one is very popular, for obvious reasons; all free:

French too!  Hermione Deathly Hollow [Rav link] by Chantal Boucher

German too!  Hermione's Godrics Hollow Hat [Rav link] by Melanie Richter

Godric's Hollow Hat [Rav link] by Rebecca Beam

Hermione's Deathly Hallows Graveyard Beret [Rav link] by Grace Falls

and a twist:  Hermione Inspired Openwork Headband [Rav link] by Katie H Kibler

Screen Grab: Hermione's Fingerless Gloves

image via Life After College

Also popular, as Hermione's knits are classy and sassy.  Crocheter innermindofthefreakz seems to be working on a pattern, but it's still in the planning stages, I guess.  So far, all the patterns are knit:
free!  Hermione Fingerless Gloves [Rav link] by Lindsey Carroll
free!  Hermione Granger inspired gloves by The Lady Fritzler
free solid stripes!  Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Hermione's wand gloves [Rav link] by Nancy Fry
solid stripes!  Hallowed Hands [Rav link] by Sandra Paul; £1.60 GBP
free fair isle!  Hermione's Magic Mittens [Rav link] by Genevra Lee

Inspiration: Obliviate

image via The Leaky Cauldron gallery

I usually position the "inspirations" after the "screen grabs," but this pattern is a little of both.  Designer Owl in Socks sought to duplicate the scrunchiness and bunchiness of Hermione's fingerless mitts without necessarily duplicating the colors or colorwork [Rav link]; pattern costs $3.99 USD.

Screen Grab: Hermione's Scarf

image via The Leaky Cauldron gallery

Designer Nancy Fry put together a free pattern for the simple scarf [Rav link] worn by Hermione.

Inspiration: Dark Mark Arm Warmers Pattern and Chart

For those on the Slytherin side of things, designer Christa Casebeer has created some Magic Loop fingerless gloves [Rav link] to assist you in alerting the Dark Lord.

Inspiration: Deathly Hallows Wristband

This cute, free wristband pattern [Rav link], designed by not_gini, has the symbol of the deathly hallows with stranded colorwork.

Oh yeah: good times from Lion Brand, too; they've got some HP inspired Deathly Hallows patterns on their blog as well.

EDIT 12/22/2011: There's this one, too!

Screen Grab: Ron's Cabled Cardigan

It's the cardigan, but for a baby!  Say it with me: aaaaawwwwww.
free!  Hallows Cardigan [Rav link] by Melissa Metzbower

Pattern Round-Up: The Weasley Sweater

Best.  Movie.  Ever.

OK, fine, I tend to be hyperbolic.  But seriously, guys.  The movie (it's HP7b, in case you've been living under a rock) was so super fantastic.

Pattern Round-Up: The Weasley Sweater

You know the one.

from HP1; image via The Leaky Cauldron gallery

HP4: cut your hair and stop talking with your mouth full!  jk, luv ya!

So here are some patterns for it!

Screen Grab: The Original Harry Potter Sweater
This knit design [Rav link] by The New Lanark Shop has been claimed as the original pattern and yarn from the films; pricing info for kits at their online shop 

Screen Grab: Weasley Sweater
This free knit pattern from Alison Hansel is available in a lot of places: here and here and here!  She has charts for H and Jenn Jarvis has charts for R!  Thank you, Alison and Jenn!

Screen Grab: Weasley Sweater
Victoria Pruett has put together a free crochet outline [Rav link] by combining this free pattern and charting out the letter M using knitPro.  I wish she'd included the chart; I suppose you could ask her about it.

Screen Grab: Harry Potter Sweater
This one's by Pride & Joy/Rowan [Rav link].

Inspiration: Weasley Cell Cozy
Now this is fun times.  Natasha Sills has a free pattern for a knit mini sweater [Rav link]; it can be used as a cell phone cover or as an ornament with the addition of a pipe cleaner hanger.


And as a bonus: 
Inspiration: Luna's Shawl
Designer Liz Abinante created a shawl to match Luna's "adorably mismatched outfits"; $6 for the pattern [Rav link].

Pattern Round-Up: HP Socks!

Gearing up for HP7b this afternoon!  I'll try to take mental knit notes, but mostly I'm just going to enjoy the movie and the company of my husband.

Pattern Round-Up: Socks Inspired by the Wizarding World

Wizards and Witches
free!  Hermione's Everyday Socks [Rav link] by Erica Lueder
free!  Minerva's Argyles [Rav link] by MoreThanOneWay
free!  Socks for the Deputy Headmistress [Rav link] by Erica Lueder
Luna's Moonlight Socks [Rav link] by Ann Kingstone; £3.00 GBP
free!  Patchwork Weasley Socks [Rav link] by Erica Lueder
free!  Fred and George socks [Rav link] by Rosemary Waits
free!  Simply Ginny Socks! [Rav link] by Anna Peck
free!  Bellatrix [Rav link] by Monkey Toes
free!  Tonks Variety Socks [Rav link] by Anne Campbell

Hogwarts et al.
designs by Lykkefanten for free!
  Go Gryffindor [Rav link]
  Root for Ravenclaw [Rav link]
  Hurray Hufflepuff [Rav link]
  Such a Slytherin [Rav link]
designs by Ann Kingstone; £3.00 GBP each
  Gryffindor Pride Socks [Rav link]
  Ravenclaw Pride Socks [Rav link]
  Hufflepuff Pride Socks [Rav link]
  Slytherin Pride Socks [Rav link]
  Hogwarts Socks [Rav link]
free!  Moving Staircases Socks [Rav link] by Lauren Scungio
free!  Fawkes [Rav link] by Monkey Toes
free!  Hogwarts Mini House Sock Ornaments [Rav link] by Marie Wright 

Wizarding Miscellany
inspired by Wendelin the Weird
  free!  Wendelin [Rav link] by Rosemary Waits
inspired by Merope Gaunt
  Merope [Rav link] by h. e. wintermute; $6.00 USD
inspired by the Black family motto
  Toujours Pur [Rav link] by Carrie Barraco; $2.50 USD
inspired by Durmstrang wizarding school in northern Europe
  Durmstrang socks [Rav link] by Ann Kingstone; £3.00 GBP
inspired by Beauxbatons wizarding school in France
  Chaussettes de Beauxbatons [Rav link] by Ann Kingstone; £2.50 GBP

Pattern Round-Up: The Hogwarts Scarf

OK, that was a nice break.  I'm not a post-twice-a-day person!  But there's good news to share: I will be seeing HP7b in a movie theatre this weekend!  I love my husband.

Pattern Round-Up: The Hogwarts Scarf

Hogwarts house colors are prominently featured on all Hogwarts knits; this is especially true of the ever-present winter accessory, the scarf.

House	Main Color	Alternate
Gryffindor	Scarlet	Gold
Ravenclaw	Blue	Books: Bronze (Movies: Gray)
Hufflepuff	Canary yellow	Midnight black
Slytherin	Green	Silver

 Now: There are several patterns for Hogwarts scarves; this is partly due to knitters' preferences for a variety of yarn gauges, but mostly due to the pattern redesign between HP2 and HP3.

Hogwarts knits from HP and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hogwarts scarves in the Infirmary: HP and the Chamber of Secrets

image via Movieline's A Decade of Ron Weasley Looking Dumbfounded

The scarves in HP1 and HP2 feature thick stripes of equal width and fringe tassels that alternate house colors.  Free patterns!

knit flat!  Harry Potter Scarf [Rav link] by Allison Blevins
knit in the round!  Harry Potter Scarf [Rav link] by Alycen Skipper
crochet!  Harry Potter Gryffindor Scarf [Rav link] by Ariel Starke

Scarf + hats: HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Gryffindor!  HP and the Goblet of Fire

Won-Won's fan club; image via CoolSpotters.com

The scarves of HP3-HP6 (The action of HP7 is so far removed from Hogwarts, I didn't even check for scarves in the movie) feature a thick section of the house's main color interspersed with thin stripes of the accent and main colors, and no fringe, from what I can see in at a cursory glance.  More free patterns!

knit flat! PoA House Colors Scarf [Rav link] by Liz Annino
knit in the round!  Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban Scarf [Rav link] by Lauren Kent
NOTE: Lauren Kent's pattern is the "atypically.net" pattern referred to by others
knit in the round!  Harry Potter Scarf [Rav link] by Qwertz 
knit in the round!  Hufflepuff 1x1 Rib Scarf [Rav link] by dr3amcatcher 
knit in the round!  Harry Potter POA Scarf on the round [Rav link] by Andres P. Nevarez 
crochet!  Harry Potter POA Crochet Scarf [Rav link] by Andres P. Nevarez

Preliminary Pattern Round-up: HP7b

For those who really can't wait even a day... there are already some pertinent patterns for this movie!
WARNING: those who don't want "spoilers" shouldn't go seeking out this information of this ridiculous depth.  :)

Preliminary Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Inspiration: Trust Snape Armband
My favorite part about this wristband, designed by Slythwolf and available for free [Rav link], is that it was designed in 2007 and posted five days before the release of the final book.  Way to be, Slythwolf!

Screen Grab: Neville's Sweater

image via The Leaky Cauldron gallery

You read that right: someone has already started designing a pattern for Neville's black-and-white Fair Isle cardigan based on poster ads and released movie stills.  The overachiever in question is Megan Ellinger and her work thus far is available as a free Ravelry download.

Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This looks like a short pattern post, but it's important to realize that sooo many elements of the movie are carried throughout the series and do not only belong to this movie.  ...I did cheat a lot, though, due to the sparseness of it all.  Fun fact: the Harry Potter Wiki has an entry about the Muggle hobby of knitting done by magical characters throughout the series!

Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
relevant links to the KM post with pictures are helpfully provided in the pattern title heading

Screen Grab: Harry's Red Cable Sweater
It’s the sweater that started it all, recreated here [Rav link] by designer/author Alison Hansel for her HP knits book Charmed Knits.

...of course, if you wanted to knit one for an adult woman, it's easy enough to find another free cabled sweater pattern, slightly modify it, and knit it in red...
57-1 Sweater with Cables in "Alaska" [Rav link] by DROPS design
Cable and Garter Stitch Pullover (C115) [Rav link] by Nancy Wiseman
...easy enough for you, that is.  I'm not going to try it anytime soon!

Screen Grab: Hagrid

right (c) Phoenixknits

One of the moments I remember best from my first viewing of HP1 was seeing half-giant gamekeeper (later Professor of Care of Magical Creatures) Rubeus Hagrid break down a cottage door on a rainy night.  Designer Phoeny has made it possible to take this loyal friend with you everywhere [Rav link]; $5.

Screen Grab: Norberta

right (c) Kate Kuckro

What, you were looking for realism?  At least there's one dragon you won't have to send to Romania... unless you happen to live there.  Kate Kuckro published this in the Winter 2006 Knitty -- which, of course, means it's free [Rav link]!

From the Book: Hagrid's Dragon Blankie

"People stared more than ever on the train.  Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent."  ~ HP2, Ch 5, p65

A circus tent would be a bit much for someone with no giant ancestry, I think, so Freshisle Fibers scaled Hagrid's project down for us humans; only $5 for this beautiful pattern [Rav link]!

Inspiration: Firenze the Centaur Socks

image via Harry Potter Wiki

This free sock pattern [Rav link] by Anita Williams features stars (centaurs love the night sky) and an arrow pattern (calling to mind the cross-bow).

Inspiration: Diagon-Alley Scarf - archived

Katie Marcus has provided this free diagonally-striped scarf pattern [Rav link], designed to keep you warm and stylish during your cauldron and wand purchasing.

Knitwear at the Movies: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

We've arrived at the movie that started it all.  I hope you're prepared: they're all babies, it's so cute!

Pointy hats for all!

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny wear knits
...and don't do much else in this movie.

This is before we learn Mrs. Weasley's secret to knitting sweaters for self and several children.  Let's look at her hat, shall we?

Nice dark green cabled beret, with sections of what seems to be honeycomb brioche stitch; I could be wrong, though.  The color goes well with red hair.  Speaking of which...

Identical variegation, by the magic of dye lots

Train Candy!

Cardigan from the trolley?

You can catch little more than a glimpse of feather and fan on the sleeve and yarnover action on the collar.  Anything more would spoil your supper.

Hogwarts Issue Knits
Ah, to attend boarding school with uniforms in an oceanic climate:

No, it's not a knit tie.  Calm down.

From left:  knit gloves, Hogwarts-issue V-neck sweater, Gryffindor-issue scarf circa 1991.

Harry's Sweaters
Before the costume designers decided knitwear was far too mainstream for the likes of one who did battle with the darkest, most dangerous wizard of all time... the boy wore sweaters!

He wore this sapphire beauty with various twists and cables on a moss stitch background while learning the ins and outs of quidditch from one Oliver Wood (Sean Biggerstaff) in a charcoal tweed ribbed turtleneck...

Hello, ladies.

Then there's wizard chess in the emerald wonder...

...which is identical in all but color to the ruby cabled pullover Harry wears when every important thing happens.

If he's wearing red, pay attention.

Hermione's Fair Isle
When all the excitement is happening at the end, with the red sweater and all, Hermione's wearing this:

Who run the world?  (Girls)

They never show this cardigan full length in bright light at close range.  There are colorwork snowflakes on a field of dark green near the top, but I can't give you anything more specific.  But it's pretty.

Oh, and by the way...  Ron thinks Hermione's okay for a girl.

Foreshadow much?

HP1 Pattern Round-up this afternoon!

It is finished.

The end is beginning right now!  High fives to the folks who made it out to a movie theatre for a midnight showing of such an unknown independent film about Wiccans.  More later, of course, but since I'm up...  Happy HP7b Day!

EDIT: to fix the name of the film.  I'm not kidding.  It's definitely time to go to bed.

Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Only ten hours away from HP7b midnight showings on the US East Coast!!

Pattern Round-Up: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
relevant links to the KM post with pictures are helpfully provided in the pattern title heading

Screen Grab: Molly Weasley’s Technicolor Sweater
Ever’body wants to be Mrs. Weasley.  And if you crochet, you too can wear some crazy arm-bells!
crochet!  Coat of Many Colors Sweater (Molly Weasley Sweater) [Rav link] by Shelle Hendrix Cain
crochet!  "Molly Weasley" Style Bell Sleeves [Rav link] by Jo Titchard-Lyons
free crochet!  Molly Weasley Sweater from Chamber of Secrets by Wizards_Pupil

Screen Grab: Aragog the Spider Monster

right (c) Wendy Gross

I share Ron’s arachnophobia, so while I do not relish the thought of a spider toy lying about, I concede that Wendy Gross’s $2 Aragog pattern [Rav link] is very well done… maybe even cute?  Nope, still creepy.  You might like it, though.

Screen Grab: Mandrake Plant

right (c) Phoenixknits

Prolific HP designer Phoeny does it again with this faithful recreation of the noisy anthropomorphic root [Rav link]; it only costs $4 to get a pattern and the finished product won’t shatter your eardrums!
NOTE: Mandrakes are real!  Be still, my Muggle heart!

Inspiration: Lumos! Sock
This free pattern [Rav link], designed by Sarah Vendel , features a wand created by yarn-overs with shooting beams of light on each sock’s side.

Inspiration: Dobby Hat
Designer Sarah Hasse offers this free pattern [Rav link] for those without Hogwarts house colors who still wish to express HP love generally and Dobby love specifically.  Thanks, Sarah!
NOTE: This pattern has also been repurposed for a Link-from-Zelda variation [Rav link] for the gamer in your life.

Inspiration: Dobby’s Socks
These patterns, designed and featured in the HP pattern book Charmed Knits by author Alison Hansel, are super cute; they are intentionally mismatched, and a couple of the designs have rows of snitches and broomsticks (I thought they were wands, for a little bit) in a less-than-subtle nod to the wearer’s magical leanings.

Inspiration: Phoenix Tears Scarf

right via Charmed Knits

Heather Brack designed this scarf to use textured and novelty yarn; the pattern [Rav link] is also featured in Charmed Knits.

Knitwear at the Movies: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This movie has surprisingly few knits, compared with later movies, but I suppose that's due to the focus on Hogwarts and its uniforms by association.  HP2!

RIP Richard Harris

Molly Weasley's Sweater of Many Colors
The gasp heard around the world in 2002 was the collective yarncrafting world beholding this creation:

Don't mess with me, sassafras.

This is crazy.  CRAZY.  Ten buckets of crazy in a thimble.  And Julie Walters ain't scurred.

Molly Weasley Wears Double Sweaters
I do that, too, at work when the air conditioning at my office is out of control all summer.

The laciness of the brown cardigan pairs well with the solid purple turtleneck, which has some lacy, fringy bits of its own:

HARRY WEARS SWEATERS OMG
Two, to be precise.

It's just a simple brown ribbed turtleneck, but it's a KNIT, you guys!!  This is right before he goes all Floo-y and ends up in Knockturn Alley being scared.

This burgundy ribbed-and-cabled pullover is more like it... and we'll never see its like again from him.  I weep for the knits that never were.

Hermione's Dad's Pullover
If you were a Muggle dentist, what would you wear around magic folk?

You'd wear a lovely lightly gray cabled pullover!  Of course, Mr. Weasley (Mark Williams) has more important things to discuss, like Muggle money and the function of bus stops.

We learn in this movie how Mrs. Weasley manages to knit all those letter sweaters:

I've already put in my order for three pair of these needles.

HP2 Pattern Round-up this afternoon!