Knitting and Crocheting Journal #5: Hogwarts House Scarf Work in Progress

I have one of those brains that attempts to do too much all at once. I got it from my baking career where I was forced to carefully manage my time and plot out exactly when to put cookies in the oven, when to start mixing cake, when to make the buttercream, and how long to proof the bread and pastries. This method works for baking, but not so much for knitting.

I had this genius idea (or fantasy) that I could knit four sweaters and a scarf in two months while also working full time. I would have them all complete in time to show you all.

Why did I do this to myself?

I wanted to share my Slytherin House Scarf in time for Hogwarts Legacy, but I obviously did not finish it in time, and this scarf won’t be finished in time for me to wear during the winter.

It’s all good, though! I figure I share it as a Work in Progress!

Hogwarts House Scarf Metamorphosis

The Hogwarts House Scarves have had two different styles throughout the movies. In the first two movies, each scarf was a simple striped pattern with an alternating colored fringe. By the third movie, the scarves were changed to a “trapped bar” pattern with a short solid colored fringe.

In my opinion, the trapped bar design is more mature and elegant, making it easier to style. The scarf is knit in the round, meaning it is knit in a circle to create a tube rather than a square of fabric on straight needles. As a result, there is no seam and the purl stitches are hidden on the inside of the project. This creates a thick scarf with a smooth stockinette stitch exterior.

The Search for Matching Yarn

Hogwarts scarves from left to right: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

The Harry Potter Hogwarts houses are differentiated through different colors. To match the scarves accurately, I found that Lionbrand’s Wool-Ease worsted weight yarn not only provided the closest color matches to the houses, but it is also quality yarn that can withstand the washer machine. It is 20% wool and 80% acrylic, so it knits up nicely with minimum pilling.

I don’t recommend using 100% wool for this project only because scarves this thick and long carry a lot of weight and may stretch too much if made purely out of wool. It would require a lot of shaping and care, which can be cumbersome, especially if this is a potential gift.

House Gryffindor Colors

Burgundy and Buttercup are are the best color matches, but you can also use Tawny Port, Chili, or Koi for the red portion of the scarf.

House Ravenclaw Colors

Nightshade is the closest blue in the Ravenclaw picture above, but you can also use Riverside. If going by the book colors, Nightshade and Camel or Aloe are your best bet. Otherwise, Grey Heather is suitable for the movie colors.

House Hufflepuff Colors

Buttercup and Black are the colors to use for the Hufflepuff scarf. This scarf was the easiest to match.

House Slytherin Colors

Forest Heather and Grey Heather make for the perfect match for this scarf. This was the second easiest color match.

House Scarf Design Process

My official house is House Slytherin, which excites me because green is my favorite color and it is the primary color of my me-made wardrobe palette.

In designing this scarf, I wanted to make the pattern as close to the movie version as possible. So I opted for knitting the scarf in the round and matching the colors accordingly. The original scarves do not have the Hogwarts Coat of Arms on them, however, I will be adding one because I think it adds a little character to the scarf.

Even after looking at many pictures of the scarf, it is hard to tell how many trapped bars are on the scarf, but I counted a minimum of ten sets of bars. Depending on how long I need the scarf to be, I may extend the number to twelve sets of bars.

After knitting a swatch and doing a little bit of math, I came across the perfect gauge for the scarf. Use a medium yarn weight (worsted) with a gauge that knits 18 sts x 24 r on #8 (5mm) to make a 4×4 inch swatch.

At first, I tried using interchangeable circular needles for the project, but size 8 double pointed needles worked best; it was more comfortable to knit with them, and it was easier to keep track of the number of stitches in the pattern.

After casting on 80 stitches, I knitted 36 rows of the main color, then 6 rows of the second color, 6 rows of the main color, 6 rows of the second color, and then repeated the pattern.

Pacing the project

I have been successful so far in keeping my knitting projects to a minimum of three at a time, but I underestimated the marathon that is knitting this scarf.

I began knitting this scarf at the beginning of February 2023, and we are halfway through march. I don’t even have half of the scarf completed. Rather than burn myself out, I am knitting this scarf a few rows a day. I imagine the full piece to be completed by summer, just in time for fall.