I've been getting a healthy amount of sleep lately - I can tell because I've been having dreams. And I actually remembered one, somewhat, or at least part of it:

I was in Oberlin, still, and it was during reading period. I was in this building that was supposed to be Peters (it looked an awful lot like it and had languagey things in it), standing in an entryway, by some stairs, next to this person who in "real life" I knew was in 2nd year Russian (I don't know if this person actually exists), but was somehow in the other section of 102. Anyway, we saw our teacher, who had foofy curly hair, slightly Trelawney-ish (not a real Russian Dept. faculty member). She started talking to us. Then, (one of those weird dream transitions where I'm instantly somewhere else - kind of like electrons?) the three of us were in this computer lab that was on the east side of Peters, not actually in a separate room, but just a bunch of macs and desks over by a wall. And some potted plants. There were several rows of two computers each, and I think there were Russian students at all of them. The teacher was walking around them explaining things to us. I was in the computer in the back corner, next to the wall, and she came over and stood behind me. And all of a sudden - this is the exciting part - Linden came in and walked over, smiling, with her arms out, carrying my stuffed pig. Everything paused for a moment, and she handed Piggy to me, and I probably smiled. Then I woke up.

Hm.

On an entirely different note, this article was on the front page of the St. Paul Pioneer Press today. I think the swap registration is closed. Dang. Here is what it said:
KNIT IF YOU LOVE HARRY POTTER
The boy magician's tales inspire a community of tribute knitters
BY MOLLY MILLETT

Harry Potter fan Catherine Mandle is sure glad she's a knitter: Her knitting needles are helping her pass the time until "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is released July 21.

The Minneapolis Muggle has joined an online Hogwarts Sock Swap, in which knitters from around the world are knitting socks for each other that are inspired by author J.K. Rowling's magical series. They're part of a growing community of Harry Potter tribute knitters.

"We're knitting socks in preparation for Book 7," Mandle said. "Everyone is so excited. It's something to keep our hands busy while we wait."

Right about now, you might be thinking: Harry Potter? Knitting? Huh? But knitting references are woven throughout the series:

Molly Weasley, the mother of Harry's friend, Ron, gives hand-knit sweaters as Christmas gifts.

Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore enjoys reading Muggle knitting patterns.

Harry's friend, Hermione, knits hats for house elves.

In the movies, the characters wear lovely, hand-knit scarves, sweaters, socks and hats.

"Knitting is an ancient craft, and if you go back to a magical, historical environment like Hogwarts, it makes sense that you would find knitting and hand-knit things around," said Mandle, a 33-year-old stay-at-home mom.

The Harry Potter knitting niche began building slowly and has only recently exploded, thanks to the growing online knitting community. In the early years, knitters had to search hard to find published patterns. Some of the more dedicated crafters began designing Harry Potter tribute knits, especially the striped scarves and the oversized monogrammed sweaters featured in the movies.

"I was a knitter before I was a Harry Potter fan," said Alison Hansel, a popular knitting blogger and author of the new book, "Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter" (Wiley Publishing Co., $14.99). "But then I just happened to see the first two Harry Potter movies on cable TV. As a knitter, I really wanted to make those letter sweaters that Molly Weasley makes.

"I found a small site on the Internet that had posted images from the films and made suggestions about how certain sweaters were constructed. Then I found that one of the large yarn companies had published an 'official' pattern for the sweater. I bought it, and then that pattern went out of print, which is I why I wrote my version and put it on my Web site."

Hansel began to develop a reputation as a Harry Potter tribute knitter, especially because of her Harry Potter knit-alongs, in which knitters work on Harry Potter projects at the same time and share their patterns, progress and finished garments online. Her book, which was published May 7 and includes a number of projects from contributors, is already in its second printing.

"I went through all the Harry Potter books again and looked for knitting references, like the socks Dobby the house elf gave Harry for Christmas - one is green with broomsticks and the other is red with snitches," Hansel said. "From there, you have to come up with the details. I also searched the movies. For a Harry Potter fan, any excuse to reread the books or watch the movies is good."

Knitters don't just watch the movies - they study them.

"The knit items in the movie are really nicely made, and knitters will go back and pause scenes to see how the items are constructed," Hansel said.

Still, they're apparently hungry for more information. Locally, knitters asked about Hansel's book at yarn supply shops long before it was released. Yarn suppliers have been answering Harry Potter queries and stocking Harry Potter colors for years.

"When the first movie came out, it took yarn stores by surprise," said Karen Rumpza, owner of Needlework Unlimited of Linden Hills. "People would come in and say, 'I'm making a scarf like in Harry Potter - do you have this color or that color?'

"Now, they make a lot of other things, too. We just had a group of younger, college-age girls come in who were looking to make some sort of hat they saw Ron wear in the trailer for 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.' They want to wear it to the premiere."

The tribute knitters also make socks - there are Quidditch socks as well as different socks for the four Houses within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft Wizardry - House sweaters, House mittens and more ornate projects, like the frilly housecoat that Molly Weasley wears.

Harry Potter projects and knitalongs are heating up along with the buzz for the July 13 opening of the fifth movie, "Order of the Phoenix," and the release of the seventh and final book a week later.

"The knitalongs all start cropping up when a book is about to be released or a new movie is coming out," Hansel said. "Folks want to wear their items to the premieres and parties. It's a way to show they are excited about the books ... It's this secret world that you can be a part of, even though you look like any other Muggle."

Randi Arnar, 36, of Excelsior, had been making Harry Potter-inspired clothing for her three kids when she recently discovered the Hogwarts Sock Swap while searching online for Harry Potter knitting patterns. In the swap, members are organized into Houses and then knit socks for an assigned pal, sending along their creations with other small gifts, such as knitting needles.

"I thought it was hilarious that there were other people out there who would think that this was fun," said Arnar. "I am now knitting the ugliest pair of black-and-yellow Hufflepuff socks for my pal, and I need to get them to her before the book comes out on July 21, because we all want to dress up in our geeky socks when we pick up our books."

Molly Millett can be reached at mollymillett@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5505.