“Why Molly Weasley is An Icon”

Full disclosure: I haven’t read the Harry Potter books, and I also haven’t seen the last movie. Yes, I’ve seen all the other ones, just not the last one. I don’t care whether you disapprove of this. Don’t even start.

But, I do know that Molly Weasley is an absolute force of nature, and I’ve developed a much deeper appreciation for her this week.

Because of her strength, you ask? The way she defends her children? Her humor?

Well, yes, but also, no. I admire her, because she makes at least seven different sweaters when Christmas time rolls around. Usually more, if I’m remembering correctly — if I’m not, don’t correct me, because I still don’t care.

I’ve been crocheting for the last two years or so, because I’ve found that it helps keep me focused during long classes. I’d never attempted a sweater, until this week. I found an easy pattern from a girl I saw on TikTok, and with round two of quarantine looming, I thought there was no better time to give it a shot. After a trip to Jo-Ann’s to get all the yarn I would need (which I drastically underestimated, resulting in another trip to Jo-Ann’s last night), and recording all the measurements I needed, I got started.

I knew it would be a lot of work, but oh, my gosh. I woke up this morning and my hands were sore. I have crocheted over 400 yards of yarn — that’s more than four football fields. I still have to make one more trip to another craft store, because Jo-Ann’s ran out of one of the colors that I needed. I have three out of the four pieces for the body finished, but then I still have both sleeves to do, and I’ve been crocheting during every class, every work shift, and every time I took a break from homework. It will still probably take me at least another week to finish all the pieces, and even then, I still have to put all the pieces together and crochet the cuffs onto the end of the sleeves. Don’t even get me started on how expensive yarn is.

And you’re telling me that Molly Weasley did this at least seven times? Even if she started in January, that’s a lot of work. You’re telling me that she was an incredibly powerful witch, a full-time mom, and she still had time to make sweaters for all her kids and their friends for Christmas every year? You’re kidding, right?

I may not care about Harry Potter that much, but I sure do love Molly Weasley. What a woman.