Charming knits?

Such a busy time I've been having at the cottage, scouring the Daily Prophet adverts for things to buy for the sock kit swap. It's rather frustrating not knowing what colours I need (I don't yet know who I'm making the kit for). At the moment all I can do is purchase essential tools and make a note of the other bits and pieces that I have to get later in specific colours.

I've got to make a bag, something I've only ever done once before, and that was by accident! It started out as a fairisle tank top for Mr. Wigworthy, knit from my own handspun and hand-dyed yarn (I love the magical world's commitment to the spinning wheel, and often think of magical spinning legends such as Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin as I sit at my own). Anyway, the yarn proved to be too heavy for knitting double-strength and poor Mr. Wigworthy could barely stand up with the top on, so I cut it down to make a bag. Sadly the bag also is no more - it was attacked by moths (though my little wizards insist it was nargles!).

The six-year-old little wizard has, alas, worn through the heels on a pair of the socks I've knitted for him. I had a go with a charm to repair it ('impilium resarcio'), and unsurprisingly didn't succeed (charms was my worst subject in my Hogwarts days). So I've sat and darned them the muggle way. Then, not wanting a repeat performance with further homeknitted socks, I ordered something like the stuff muggles use to strengthen the heels and toes in their socks. It's called 'woolly nylon', and is readily available to American witches and wizards who love to knit (they call it 'wooly nlyon' - a very American variant of the spell!). It is, however, impossible to get from magical knitting suppliers here in England. After much searching I eventually found some in a magical sewing suppliers who say robe-makers use it to make very elastic seams (essential for broom-wear).