I am in the process of a Harry Potter marathon while I work toward a knitting deadline. I love that there is knitting in the movies. Although there are some jokes surrounding Mrs. Weasley’s knitting and the sweater Ronald received for Christmas, did you notice that he actually put it on prior to Harry waking up and coming into the room? If he really didn’t like the sweater, why try it on and continue to wear it when nobody was there with a camera and people expecting you to be excited about it? I’ll tell you why. He knew the value of a gift handcrafted by his mother who loved him more than anyone else. We don’t see Harry open his sweater but I like to think that part of his excitement about receiving a gift was the anticipation that Mrs. Weasley took the time to knit something special just for him and, he too, felt the love in the gift she had crafted.

Have you ever noticed the knitting needles in the second movie and how they were working on their own? I like when that happens and it really feels like magic. It’s not like it happens all the time but when it does, you are working along in a pattern and realize that hours have gone by and the design has developed into a work of art. Very satisfying!

Unfortunately, the magic is not happening right now. I’m working on a pair of socks that are taking hours and hours to finish. I’m removing as many stitches as I’m putting in because I am not paying attention to the stitches in the chart. I need to focus – and truthfully, it really is getting better as I’ve knit more on the chart. But this project will not last forever and soon I will be involved in some mindless knitting where the needles take over and the magic begins. I really want to make a Gryffindor scarf like those worn in the first movie or even the second. Have you noticed the difference between the two scarves? I have someone special in mind for the gift , someone who will squeal with delight and wear it with pride, and I even have the yarn as part of my stash.

Alas, that is not what I will do right now, because however much my mind may be wandering and lusting after starting a new project, one that is easy and quickly finished, I still need to work on these socks and be thankful that magic does occur but just of a different kind. Isn’t it magic to take miles of yarn and turn it into something beautiful?