Why I knit

Dear Diary, when I knit in public people sometimes ask me why I knit? Wizarding folk raise their brows and ask why I do it the muggle way instead of just charming the needles to do the work. Muggles say they wouldn't have the time or patience to knit. Phooey on them all. Knitting is a soothing, relaxing thing to do and when I am done I have (hopefully) a useful item.

I learned to knit for two reasons: one, because I had learned to spin and had to do *something* with all that yarn, and two, because I thought hand knit socks were the best. I understand Professor Dumbledore thought so too. My first pair of socks that I ever tried to knit were... interesting. Not sure to this day how it happened, but one of the socks turned out perfect. The other... How could I make a gussett and decrease stitches on one side of the ankle but not the other? It is a mystery that haunts me to this day. I was in the Great Hall where Emma Gorodek (is that the right spelling?) was showing off a gorgeous bag she had knitted from pattern she designed herself. It the the first time she had combined so many different techniques in one project and everyone was talking about how their first attempts at something turned out. I think most people did better than me on the first try at socks.


I don't have a picture of those socks, but here's a picture of my first attempt at felting. I had put off doing any felting for years because I wondered why on earth anyone would want to take the time to knit something and felt it when they could just felt it. I still feel that way to an extent. But I admit that for larger projects throwing thigns into a washing machine instead of pounding soapy hot fiber is a lot less physical labor.