The Significance of Knitting in the Harry Potter Series

John’s recent post on the Silver Doe reminded me that I haven’t shared my Chestnut Hill College Harry Potter Academic Conference talk here yet. It includes an element that I don’t think John has ever mentioned before: the fact that the scene includes Harry first putting on, then taking off, then putting on again “all the sweaters he owned.” Unless Harry decided to make room for some of Dudley’s cast-offs in his original, not-magically-extended rucksack, we have to conclude that most, if not all of the sweaters he owned at that time were hand-knit by Molly Weasley.  You can hear more about that, and the other knitters in the series, in the video below. Enjoy!!