Knitting Inspired by Movies and Television

Serious knitters tend to notice knitting everywhere. Internet message boards for knitters abound with posts from movie fans wondering if anyone has a pattern for a scarf or sweater from a favorite show. Members sometimes collaborate to see if they can reverse-engineer a garment from a single picture. Knitters start trying out samples, share their issues, and collectively come up with a reasonable facsimile pattern.

Surveys done for the Craft Yarn Council show knitting remains a perennially popular hobby and more knitters than ever are passing along their skills by teaching others to knit. Great sweaters and scarves in popular movies should add fuel to the knitting fires. Enjoy these patterns and perhaps even knit them while watching a good movie. Why not teach someone else to knit as well?

Inhabitants of the British isles are known for knitting and wool, so it is not surprising that Dr. Who and the Harry Potter series have inspired scarf knitters around the world.

To get free patterns for the scarves worn on Dr. Who each season (slightly different scarves each season) check out DoctorWhoScarf.com. Ravelry also has a number of TARDIS patterns, including scarves, hats, dishcloths, and socks.

For Harry Potter fan knitting, The Leaky Cauldron has a lengthy list of quality pattern links for the iconic Hogwarts House Scarves and much more. Alison Hansel's book, Charmed Knits is also full of patterns in a wide range of sizes.

Inspiration from the Hunger Games and the Twilight Saga

The first Hunger Games movie did not really have any memorable knitwear, but the Catching Fire movie got many knitters excited. Katniss' wardrobe for the Victory Tour is designed by Cinna, an absolute artistic genius per Suzanne Collins' novels. One item very popular with knitters is Katniss' hunting cowl, for which several patterns have been reverse-engineered by persistent knitters:

• District 12 Cowl Wrap
• Katniss Cowl by Engineered Creations.

Knitters are clamoring for a pattern for the creative, fitted, modular sweater worn by Katniss on the Victory Tour. The original was designed by Alice Lemoine for Le Moine Tricote, and one can hope she might publish the pattern for this lovely and unusual sweater. Paton's has created a District 12 Sweater that is made in lighter yarn than the movie original, but still looks stunning. It is made in modules and shaped to hug the body. I am creating this sweater in my favorite colors instead of the gray and brown tones of the movie sweater.

Knitters have also reproduced garments seen in the Twilight Saga movies. The setting in the mountains of Washington meant there were plenty of snow scenes in the movies. Knit some of the hats, mitts, and scarves with free patterns.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

The dwarves in The Hobbit wear many layers of clothing, some of which can be knitted. As Thorin Oakenshield's company travels to take back their homeland from Smaug the dragon, they do so in a motley mess of hats, scarves, mitts, and armor. Two fun projects that look movie-worthy are Bofur's Scarf and Dwarven Mitts. The mitts are worked in a wonderful textured stitch that would also look good in a hat or scarf.

I created patterns for a Mithril Lace Collar and Gandalf's Fingerless Mitts. I wanted to try Vanna's Glamour yarn on a small lace project. The cowl collar I created is like knitted jewelry and was inspired by the precious metal mined by the dwarves of Moria--light as a feather and tough as dragon's hide.

Les Miserables

Fans of Les Mis can knit Pauper's Gloves that look just like those worn by the landlord's wife. With no fingers to create, they are easy to knit.