Knitting is one of those skills that seams to not be as common as it once once. I first learned to knit in elementary school, but didn’t really dive deep into what I could do with it until my first year of university.
I have now completed my very first sweater! I have stayed away from such large projects because they can take a long time, a lot of yarn (which can be expensive), and if I don’t like it what am I supposed to do with it.
However, I love the sweater I made and will be wearing it this winter! It took about two weeks of working on it in the evenings after work and on the weekends. The pattern I used came from Knitting Magic by Tanis Gray. The pattern is called “Mrs. Weasley’s Home-Knit Christmas Sweaters” on pages 33-41. I did not add in a letter for my name as I used a patterned yarn and I felt it would be to busy to add a letter in. I will however knit more sweaters and do the signature large letter on the chest.
The sweater is marked as an intermediate pattern and there were a few parts that were new to me. I had never picked up and knit before to create a collar on a project. Quick YouTube video later and I was good to go. If you have not done this before I used the video Picking Up Stitches Around a Curved Edge, Neck, Neckline, Armhole, Armscye by Knitting with Suzanne Bryan.
I used Marble Chunky yarn by James C. Brett 200g balls. I needed four balls of yarn because you leave the yarn attached on stitch holders at one point before you are able to join the shoulders using a three-needle bind off. I did have left over yarn that I am considering using to make a matching toque or slippers.
There are other sweaters, clothing, and accessories in the book that I am hoping to try making as well. I have tried out 2 of the 7 Horcruxes Washcloths and they are very straightforward to do and marked as beginner. Mrs. Weasley’s sweaters will be making some more appearances for Christmas I am sure.
If you would like to purchase Knitting Magic click this title and it will take you to Amazon. The book can be purchased as a hardcover or for an e-reader.
There is also the Knitting Magic: More Patterns From Hogwarts and Beyond by Tanis Gray that I am hoping to get my hands on to try patterns from as well. I will make sure I post creations are reviews here as well.
Time to gather some more yarn and start my next project…