I am a fan of the Harry Potter novels. I loved them and couldn't read them fast enough. I always think a book is better than a movie, but I've enjoyed the movies as well.
I've knit many, many Harry Potter inspired projects, designed some of my own, and share some of my favourite free Harry Potter pattern links as part of my web site.
But, I haven't tried to specifically copy any of the knitted items from the movies. Until now. Hermione's colour work scarf in the Half Blood Prince got me. I think it's partly due to my latest obsession with all things Fair Isle!
I looked at every image I could find and here are some of them. There's also a wonderful shot during the movie of Hermione on the train where both ends of the scarf are clearly visible. I've Photoshoped and used Knit Visualizer until my eyes see nothing but tiny charted squares. I've swatched and knit and ripped, knit and ripped some more.
Here are my thoughts on the scarf
There are four different colour patterns that appear in the scarf.
I’ll call them A (blue circles), B (x’s), C (green circles), and D (star).
My best guess from the pictures I’ve been able to find is that there are 8 full pattern repeats and then a partial repeat of A and B. The scarf ends do not match.
A B C D, A B C D, A B C D, A B C D, A B C D, A B C D, A B C D, A B C D, A B.
There are 58 rows to a full pattern repeat, 435 rows for 8 full pattern repeats and the partial. I believe the scarf is at least 60 inches long, more likely 72 inches.
A full round is 72 stitches and again, my best guess is that the scarf is about 4 ½ inches wide or 9 inches wide for a full round.
These measurements would make for a gauge of approximately 8 stitches/6 rows to 1 inch or 32 stitches/24 rows to 4 inches.
The colours have been harder to determine. I believe the background is white, but a white with a grey tone. The blue circles are a shade of royal blue, a brown, and a purple. The darker colour has been the most difficult. I’ve debated about whether there is a black, a navy, and a green, but have finally decided that the darker colour might be all the same green. But, I think it is a tweedy green, possibly a two ply with one ply a dark green and the other a dark brown. Maybe. My best guess.
I’m more certain about the actual chart. I’m fairly confident that it matches the movie scarf pattern.
The scarf is knit in the round and the ends are seamed.
I’ve knit a number of swatches with various yarns and needle sizes and although some of them are close, I don’t think any of them are exactly right. The swatching continues, the search for the perfect yarn continues.
Hopefully others will enjoy the chart.
All of my ideas and my chart - crazy or correct?? - are available here as a free .pdf file.
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