Friday, July 15, 2011

FO Friday 43 and My Thoughts on the End of an Era


Happy Friday! I'm ready for the weekend, but I must say, I'm not ready for Harry Potter to end. I know this is a knitting and crochet blog, but please bear with me.

Although I'm a little on the old side to say that I grew up with Harry Potter (I'll be 32 this year), it has been very much a part of my life. I started reading the books when there were only 3 in the series, and since then have seen almost all the movies on opening night, and went to book 5-7's midnight book release parties. I obviously own all the books and movies, as well as figures, statues, clothes, etc. I'm a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of HP, and it makes me teary eyed to think that it's over. Sure, we can read the books again, or watch the movies but it won't be the same. We won't wonder what comes next, or how the movies will compare to the books. After the last book, I was pretty sad, but there was always the movies left to look forward to. I pretty much bawled at Part 1, but I knew that I still had Part 2 to look ahead. What now? To me, there will never be another book, movie, intellectual property, that I will feel apart of like I do with Harry Potter. I look forward to watching the last movie this weekend (I decided not to go to the midnight showing, because I wanted to make sure I felt good and enjoyed it, instead of being tired and grumpy), and dread it all the same. I plan to bring TONS of tissues, since just the thought of it, and the trailer makes me cry. This may sound stupid, but I feel like there will be a feeling of loss when it's over. I plan to read all the books again, and watch all the movies in a long marathon (when Part 2 comes out on blu-ray), but it will never be like the first time. So, I want to thank J.K Rowling for making such an incredible story, for shaping people's childhoods and for making Young Adult fiction what it is today. Without you, I wouldn't write Young Adult books. Heck, I probably wouldn't even be a writer. I'm not ashamed to say that Harry Potter has shaped a part of me...and I already miss Harry and the gang.


Okay, enough of that. Thanks for sticking through it (if you did). On to FO Friday.

These are really crappy pictures, so I'm sorry for that, but I was so proud to have finished my cowl I had to share before it was finished blocking. I still have the buttons to pick out, but seeing as I was dreading the buttonholes, it's a feat to have finished. As you can see with the button hole picture, they suck, but I think they'll do. They're a little smaller than I wanted, and for some reason, two of them have yarn running through them, but if I find the right buttons, I can make it work. At least they're there, and when the cowl is on and buttoned, no one will know, right? Sorry for the semi-cheat post, since it's not 100% officially done. I'll share it next Friday as well, so you can see it completed.




Share your FOs!





33 comments:

  1. I won't be doing a FO post, but I just got home from the midnight showing...so worth it! I'm a big fan, too...I don't have figures, but I do have the complete sets in both the American and British versions and all the movies (hated movie 6). This is th efirst midnight showing I've done and although it was filled with teenagers and a bit trying at times because of that...it was well worth it! Now I'll sleep the majority of Friday...

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  2. I feel exactly the same about Harry Potter! The husband and I are going this afternoon to see it and he is really excited but I feel kind of sad and apprehensive! Couldn't not see it though!
    Love your cowl and I think when you've got the buttons on you won't notice if the buttonholes aren't perfect!

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  3. I hope that the final movie lives up to your expectations when you get to see it later!!
    The cowl is fab and you're buttonholes are definitely better than my first attempt was!

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  4. Love your cowl! The colours really suit the pattern!

    Your tribute to HP was awesome. Enjoy the movie and savour every last minute of it.

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  5. The cowl is beautiful, and I don't think the buttonholes suck at all ;) Like you say, with buttons in it'll look fab

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  6. Well done, I avoid button holes lol, i think yours look great!

    Toni

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  7. The cowl is looking great! I agree, I feel like I grew up with HP too. We are taking Grumpy to see the final movie on the IMAX 3D for his 40th Birthday this weekend. Recently we re-watched the Sorcerer's Stone and it was amazing to see how these actors have grown. I will re-listen to the audio and re-read the books too.

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  8. I too am a HP fan! I started with reading the books to my daughter and then watching the movies. Shhhh...I'm 42. I'm taking my daughter and her best friend to see the movie tomorrow evening. We're going to watch part 1 tonight.

    Your cowl is beautiful! I love the colors and I can't wait to see it blocked and the buttons on!

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  9. Lovely thoughts on Harry Potter. I am of the age group that grew up with HP, and I still don't believe that it's ending. This is actually the first time I've missed a midnight showing since Goblet of Fire but I knew I'd be just too sad to handle the exhaustion at work the next day.

    Very pretty cowl!

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  10. Your cowl is awesome. I love your tribute to JK Rowlings and her influence on your life. I must confess I'm indifferent to HP, hope you don't think the worse of me for that. Perhaps I will come to it later in life.

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  11. Awesome! I cast on this same cowl Thursday! I'm about halfway through it!

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  12. While I can't say that I am overly sad about the whole HP thing ending, I do completely understand the idea behind it. I do enjoy the books & movies and am looking forward to seeing what else the actors get up to now.
    I do love the colours for the cowl.

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  13. What a lovely compliment to JK Rowling :) x

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  14. We're all huge Potter fans at my house, my teenager went to the midnight showing last night and said it was really good. I too am sad that this is the last thing that people will be lining up at midnight for.

    If you haven't listened to the Harry Potter audiobooks, GET THEM. The narrator is fabulous. I think I actually prefer them to the movies, because the movies have always felt too rushed for me, too much crammed in and too much left out. But with the audiobooks you can experience all the wonderful prose and dialogue "acted out" by the narrator. They are wonderful.

    And I love the colors of your cowl!

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  15. I'm a few years older than you are and I thoroughly enjoyed the HP series. I boycotted the films after the first 1 (books are for the most part always better to me). I was so sad to see the series end, when the last book came out, I read all but the last 100 pages. My family thinks I'm crazy; I will read them, but I want to take my time doing so cause I know once the last word is read, it's over.

    I share your love and goodbye to an exceptionally great series.

    Congrats on tackling the button holes. The cowl looks great. I'm really loving the yarn you used also.

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  16. Your cowl is beautiful! I love that yarn.
    I'll miss HP too but I look forward to sharing the books and movies with my son when he is a wee bit older.

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  17. The cowl is awesome. Congrats on getting it done.

    I've never had a desire to read or watch any of the HP's. Maybe it's my age, over 60. J

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  18. The cowl is looking lovely! I remember when the first Harry Potter book came out, before it was even popular. I saw it in a children's bookstore, and thought, "What very strange art this book has." Who knew back then that the weird-looking HP book would lead to a literary and cinematic empire? It will be sad to see the movies end.

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  19. It's your link party & you can cheat if you want to :-) The cowl is awesome!

    I'm older than you are and likewise feel sad about the HP series being complete both in books and movies. My younger daughter was too little to get into it when the books were still coming out and I feel like she missed out on all the excitement her sister & kids a little bit older had with each new book and then each new movie.

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  20. so glad i stumbled upon this! i love sharing my stuff with everyone!

    oh & thanks for the comment on my wipw. :)

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  21. Thank you everyone. It's awesome to read your experiences with Harry Potter as well. It really is sad. :( I think in the end, the movies ended up doing the story justice, growing with each film.

    Julie, I've listened to a few on audio. They're just too darn expensive! I borrowed 1-4 a very long time ago from a friend when my husband and I lived apart (boyfriend at the time) and were driving back and forth from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Harry kept me company for the 6 hour drive.

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  22. The cowl is lovely! I really like the way the colors blend.

    It makes total sense to feel a sense of loss when a beloved series is over, whether books or movies - I've definitely had that experience many times! I'm a middle school librarian, and I see the same thing happen with my students when they reach the end of a series. We get attached to characters and worlds in our favorite books, and it's a little like they "die" when the series is over! : ( I even held on to the last book in the Hunger Games series and didn't read it for a few months because I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters! hehe. I hope the movie is a great experience for you, though. Have a good weekend!

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  23. I love your cowl!

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  24. I hope you enjoy the Harry Potter film. I read the first book back in 1997 when it first came out and I was 13, it feels a bit strange waiting to see the final film 14 years later!

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  25. I'm, also, a little bit old to say I grew up with Harry Potter - I started reading the series my senior year in High School. However, it has been a big part of my life for so long that it feels a bit weird not to have it there. But, I know that someday HTB and I will have kids, and we will definitely be introducing them to Harry Potter, and, of course, Pottermore is coming out in October - so it'll be exciting to see what that is :D

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  26. The cowl looks beautiful and we're right there with you on the whole Harry Potter thing!!! I'm re-reading the books now!!

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  27. If the knitting's done, I sorta think it counts. Sometimes it takes me weeks or months to find just the buttons I want.

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  28. That is really wonderful how much J.K. Rowling inspired you! I was at a local Barnes & Noble store last night, and there were lots of people popping in to take breaks from standing in line for the midnight showing. She has quite the following!
    The cowl looks gorgeous!

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  29. I felt exactly the same way when the last book came out. I have them all and have read them many many times. I only got into the movies recently and am looking forward to seeing the last one - many is a couple weeks when the crowds die down. It's getting great reviews.

    I think your cowl is looking great. I can't wait to see it with buttons. Please post a pic of it being worn!

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  30. The cowl looks great. Love the colors.

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  31. Oh, that cowl is gorgeous!! I personally don't get the whole HP thing, a lot like I didn't get the whole Twilight thing... maybe I just need to give it a go again, as I've been told they have gotten better and better as time has gone on (admittedly I've only seen the first 2 and never read any of the books).

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  32. I feel the same way about Harry Potter. The world that JK Rowling created is amazing. My daughter introduced me to the Harry Potter world soon after the 2nd book came out. We both intend to introduce her younger brothers to the world of Harry potter.
    I love the color choice for the cowl. Can't wait to see the finished product.

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  33. I never jumped on the HP wagon until 2 years ago when I was staying with my Grandkids for a week. There was an HP marathon on TV - and they also had all the movies up to that point. Well - in and out of the room the first day was enough to get me caught up in the story. Eventually we had to put in the movies so I could sit and watch beginning to end. Then I begged and borrowed all the books and have been a fan ever since. I wasn't on line at all this weekend but today when I read your post I was in total sympathy. It's that thing about good stories where we go to live in that world for a while. (I spent a good 4 years living in Middle Earth and I'm thrilled to see that Peter Jackson finally worked it out to be able to film "The Hobbit" which will be out next year and in 2013.) I haven't seen the final HP film yet (waiting to go with the Grandchildren this coming weekend) but I think I will feel the same when it is all over! Goodbye Harry. Thank You Ms. Rawling.

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