Errol the Owl

Because my knitting life wasn't interesting enough with two scarves and a jacket on the needles, I knitted an Errol the Owl, from Charmed Knits, the book of projects for fans of Harry Potter.

He's meant to look sort of scruffy and battered, because he's a tired old owl who has flown into a lot of windows while delivering letters for his family, the Weasleys, but I hope I haven't overdone it. He's made from Debbie Bliss's Maya in an olivey greeny browny shade, with a Rowan's Scottish Tweed beak and All Seasons Cotton feet.

He's for my niece's sons, Ewan and Finlay. I knitted Harry Potter sweaters for them both, a long time ago, and we always go to see the films together as soon as they come out, but I thought they would especially like to have an Errol because their dad actually comes from the small town of Errol in Perthshire, which J.K. Rowling had in mind when she named the Weasleys' owl. Ewan and Finlay's grandparents still live there.

And the buttons I used for his eyes came from their great-granny's button tin, which I inherited when she died, so he's a very personal owl.