"Where shall I put you? Now that's interesting. You've a ready mind. There's talent. Oh my goodness, yes, wit and learning. Hmm, not a bad mind either. It's all here in your head. Better be Ravenclaw!"-- The Sorting Hat.
The Sorting Hat on Pottermore was correct all these years. I do belong in Ravenclaw House. And I've definitely proved it. As an autodidact (self-taught) crocheter, I crafted my own Sorting Hat without following any pre-existing patterns.
None of the pre-existing patterns or tutorials on the Internet, YouTube, or Pinterest had the features that I wanted:
- Closer resemblance to the hat in the movies.
- Facial features that are NOT sewn-on afterwards, but are instead “built-in” as part of the crocheting.
- Wrinkles that can straighten out & fold back in the same place.
- A mouth that opens & closes like a puppet’s mouth.
- A brim that holds its shape WITHOUT millinery wire or starch, because the hat is supposed to be flexible enough to fold up, land in a crumple on the floor, and hide the Sword of Gryffindor (just like in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets).
- Uses worsted weight yarn, NOT bulky yarn.
After lots of research (which would rival Hermione's time in the library), lots and lots of trial-and error (I’ve gone thru 9-10 versions and frogged back each version until I finally achieved the final product), and almost 1.5 months (I have a Muggle crochet hook, not a magical one that crochets by itself), I finally finished. I still want to make the two lappets than hang down from the back of the hat (they aren't plain brown, they have a golden paisley pattern on them), and there are a few tweaks that I’d make if I ever decide to re-make this hat. But I'm still proud of what I've created nonetheless.
I present to you, the Sorting Hat!