August Update

Summer is zipping by here and the unseasonably cool and non-sticky weather here in Ontario over the past few weeks has meant plenty of comfortable and pleasant knitting time.

So what have I been up to? I've had two patterns published recently, both in The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits, a special magazine from Interweave Press. It has already hit the newsstands in some areas, and is already available for digital download in the U.S. Unfortunately, it is not available for sale outside of the US due to copyright complications. Nevertheless, I am thrilled to have been a part of this issue.

My Severus Pullover was inspired by what Professor Severus Snape might wear if it became necessary for him to wear Muggle clothes. You can read more about this pattern here.

 

 

My second pattern included in this magazine is the Dumbledore's Warm Socks pattern, inspired by the scene in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Bloomsbury, 1997) in which Dumbledore laments that he has once again received books for Christmas, when what he really wanted was a pair of warm, woollen socks. You can read more about this pattern here.

 

While knitting up Dumbledore's Warm Socks, my three-year old daughter looked carefully at my work in progress, then announced "Mommy, you are making socks." I told her that yes, I was making socks.
"Are they for you?" she asked.
"No, these socks are for Dumbledore," I replied. She thought about this for a minute, then her eyes went wide with delight.
"Dumbledore is coming to our house!" she said, excitedly. I had a hard time breaking it to her that no, Dumbledore was not coming to our house, but that I was going to mail the socks to "Dumbledore" far away.

 This month, I've been working away on a sweater for an online magazine, which I can't talk about too much just yet. I'll post this small teaser photo and just say that yes, the yarn is every bit as soft and smooshy and delicious as it looks in the photo.

 

 I've also been having fun catching up on The Fibre Factor while I knit. I've just finished watching all the videos for Challenge 2, in which the designers must use colorwork on a big, boxy sweater, and am seriously impressed with the creativity, skill, and speed of all the competitors. I love watching them describe their design process and am feeling seriously inspired by all the stories, photos and places that the designers used as their own inspiration.