Hobbie's Wizard Wear Blog
Hobbie's Wizard Wear Blog - our site blog - keeps subscribers updated on any changes made to the www.wizardknits.com website including all edits, news, views, and announcements.
To subscribe to the Wizard Wear Blog (no e-mail necessary), simply right-click on the orange RSS button found in the left margin, then paste the URL into your RSS reader.
Our customers can be found throughout Canada from Quebec to British Columbia, South America, most countries in western Europe, including the United Kingdom, the Balkans, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and from coast to coast here in the USA. Hawaii too!
For simple questions, please contact us via email.
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please submit a minimum of 300 words to create a comment enabled page rather than a Blog post.
Shorter entries become bloglets posted on this site Blog.
May 17, 2013
RENT Sweater and Scarf
Order the trademark "reproduction" RENT Sweater and Scarf as worn by Mark Cohen in the musical directly from this page.
May 14, 2013
Wizard Wear From Hobbie's House!
Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear - purveyors of Wizard School uniform scarves, sweaters and cardigans. Custom made in sizes for children, juniors, misses and men.
May 08, 2013
Expecto Patronum!
The World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando is expanding!
Diagon Alley will open in 2014 given all wizarding fans one more reason to visit central Florida.
The magic continues!
May 06, 2013
Hobbie's Knitting Pattern Collection
Knitting pattern collection for Harry Potter® inspired sweaters, vests, cardigans and more.
Apr 25, 2013
Sweater Measurements For A Perfect Fit
Measurements - There is a difference between actual and finished measurements - How to pick the correct size garment.
Apr 11, 2013
Sweater Care Instructions
Here are simple sweater care instructions for all Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear knitwear.
Mar 30, 2013
Updated Delivery Date
This coming May, it's law school graduation time for one of our own wizards.
As of today, March 30, 2013, the delivery date for all new orders is May 2013 but this delivery window will be shorter than usual.
The current delivery date is now posted on the home page and on most product pages as we continue to migrate our site pages to the "new look" on a new platform.
While there is no specific date set for delivery during any given month, an order marked for delivery during May 2013, will be delivered during the month of May.
We process all orders in the date sequence received and delivered upon completion.
The package is always mailed on the same day we process the shipping label.
Be sure to contact us regarding any potential rush order prior to ordering. We cannot always accommodate the short turn around time.
Thank you.
Jan 28, 2013
Updated Shipping Costs
It was bound to happen but we were surprised at how much the shipping rates went up over the weekend.
We have adjusted our shipping costs for both domestic and international parcels to reflect the latest changes at the Post Office.
Our shipping costs are determined by the weight or the combined weight of the products ordered.
We've adjusted the shipping costs across the various weight categories but we may eventually find it easier to use Priority Mail Flat Rates for both Domestic and International parcels.
While we adjust to these new rates, any overpayment in shipping costs will be refunded when we prepare the shipping labels.
Thank you.Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear
Jan 10, 2013
Calling All Slytherin® Students
During a limited time (the sale ends on January 15), you can save up to 20% all things Severus Snape and all things Slytherin® during the birthday sale.
Jan 09, 2013
What Size Do I Wear?
To take correct measurements, all you need is a tape measure, paper and pencil. Make sure to hold the tape measure snugly around your body at bust/chest
Jan 08, 2013
RENT© - The musical that changed my life!
My first experience with RENT© came when I was in college. I was like many students at the time, just out of high school, on my own for the very first
Continue reading "RENT© - The musical that changed my life!"
Jan 05, 2013
What's New At Hobbie's House in 2013?
The first few days have been quite busy in spite of the dreaded, rampant flu in all its glory. The entire crew is down and out!
On January 2nd, we started the migration of our website pages to a new platform.
Please be patient while we re-design and re-build the pages - one at a time.
Until this process is completed, some pages will still sport the old look, some pages may "disappear" for a short period of time, and some may even disappear altogether but not without notice or replacement. The ordering buttons are hosted by PayPal and remain functional.
As we do at the beginning of every year, we determine which "wizard wear" items are to be removed from the store shelves altogether aka "discontinued", or gradually phased out due to lack of interest during the prior year.
While the Harry Potter® phenomenon has abated, the costume and the knitwear are still very popular. Especially the scarves!
As the years move along, our suppliers have phased out or discontinued the very materials we use in our knitwear. So we may have to reinvent the product with acceptable substitute materials. It will not affect the quality of our knitwear.
We continue to focus on those "wizard wear" products which remain popular with our customers and we will also turn to an increased demand for custom designs.
From now on, you will find the current delivery date posted in the right hand column of the home page, on each product specific page and other appropriate pages throughout our website.
The delivery date will be advanced as needed and updated automatically in the Callout Box.
Newly designed pages will automatically replace older versions. We will also post any major changes right here on the "What's New?" site blog.
Thank you,
Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear
Dec 25, 2012
Wizard Wear Size Charts
Review Hobbie's Wizard Wear size charts to determine if our standard sizing compares to the size you normally purchase.
Dec 17, 2012
Updated: Knitting Patterns Login Form
As we continue to migrate from the old look to the new, we decided to split-test a new way to access the knitting patterns.
While the "forms" have a little more style than the original one, in the background they function exactly the same way as our "basic" website form used to - submit your name and email and we send the login information.
We obviously need your email in order to send the login information, but it is always nice to be on at least a first name basis.
We're doing a bit of split testing. One form resides on our WP blog and the other form is an AWeber form located on various topic related pages. Once the website is totally rebuilt, only the AWeber form will remain on our website.
Needless to say, both forms work just as well as the old one. They've been tested and they delivered the info in just under two minutes.
Knitting Patterns Login Information.
The AWeber form is located in the right hand column on the "knitting" pages.
Delivery was not instantaneous but two minutes is quite fast when you consider the ISP hoops any email has to jump through to be delivered to your inbox. Spammers beware - we get your emails too.
Can you see us on your mobile? Forget the invisibility cloak.
We're out in the open on this one and now visitors are able to easily locate Hobbie's House on their mobile device.
Note: It is nigh on impossible to respond to anonymous yet pertinent questions submitted through our site blog post form without an email address to respond to.
Might as well contact us via email or submit your question through our Help Desk.
Nov 18, 2012
Adding To The Yarn Stash
As if we needed to add to our yarn stash!
While out stocking up on "wizard" trim colors (Ravenclaw was the House of choice this Fall), we came across some irresistible bags of a "tweedy" blend of wool and acrylic.
Lightweight worsted at its finest.
What to knit, what to knit...
Any suggestions?
Oct 26, 2012
Last Minute Costume Ideas
Well...we are in the same boat...in need of last minute costume ideas.
A certain someone would like to go Steampunk this year but going about the costume assembling a little late in the game.
Anyone have any quick and easy ideas for an adult male Steampunk costume? The Victorian vampire is great but we need something simpler!
Oct 22, 2012
Creative Costumes For Children
Still need costume ideas for the little ones in your family?
You may just have all the props required to assemble some of these adorable costumes, including the gnome costume which happens to be my favorite.
Check out this collection of creative costumes on Hobbie's Facebook page.
Oct 12, 2012
All Things Harry Potter®
It's still the official shop for all things Harry Potter® but which would you rather have?
OR
Save up to 50% on the entire selection of Harry Potter kids' Halloween costumes!
OR
Save up to 50% on the entire selection of Harry Potter adult Halloween costumes!
Decisions, decisions...We're talking down to the wire. Halloween is a couple weeks away.
Jul 10, 2012
Knitting Pattern Membership Site
Hobbie's Knitting Pattern Membership Site - Fill out the form to receive username and password information.n information.
Apr 14, 2012
RENT® is on the road again!
Yes, how does one measure 16 years of RENT®?
That's equal to 5,124 performances on Broadway, then a hit movie in 2005.
This article appeared in the Arts section of the Sunday April 15, 2012 Washington Post.
Both "Mark" and "Roger" are on the road again with new arrangements.
In 2012, the RENT® sweater and scarf still tops the list of most requested items at Hobbie's House...
Feb 29, 2012
What's New At Hobbie's House?
As we close out the month of February 2012 with a shipment to the UK, we've also successfully migrated all Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear products on to wizardknits.com!
On February 21st, we took the first of several gradual steps towards a "new" wizardknits.com as we slowly migrate the website pages from the old to the new look.
Nothing radical here...just changing how we operate behind the scenes and a slight change in the visuals.
In the meantime, we even added a Support Desk which is already open for questions.
Have a comment or a question? Now you can contact us with the regular form on the Contact Us page or click on the "Support" button on the left of the screen (it will soon be available on every website page), OR fill out the form at the Support Desk and submit a request for information.
Over time, we will add information to the various forums and grow the Frequently Asked Questions forum with questions of interest to potential customers.
Happy Leap Year!
Feb 09, 2012
Hobbie's House News
Hobbie's House is turning over a new leaf.
As of Friday, February 10, 2012, the Wizard Wear Store will close its doors.
No, we are NOT going out of business. Far from it. In fact, we started receiving new orders almost as quickly as we migrated products from the Wizard Wear Store to the website.
We would like to reassure those customers who placed orders through the Store that all outstanding orders are already in the production queue and not affected in any way by the change.
All wizard wear products available since 2002 are still available. We are simply consolidating the website content with the ordering process.
Since 2004, the ordering process was handled by a stand alone shopping cart hosted on a different website.
To streamline the entire Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear experience, visitors can now visit our main website at www.wizardknits.com, select individual products from the Table of Contents or Navigation bar, visit the product specific page, review the product description and order from the same page.
We still recommend that you contact Hobbie's House for specific sizing information and to review custom measurements.
PayPal remains our payment platform. Customers receive a PayPal payment notification (which you should print for future reference) and are then re-directed to a "thank you" page on our website. This "thank you" page is confirmation that your order has been processed by PayPal and received at Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear. Please take a minute to read the contents.
PayPal assigns transaction ID's rather than order numbers. From now on, we will identify orders in the working calendar according to the last four digits of the PayPal transaction id.
Please be sure to white-list our domain in your email software. We want to make sure you receive all responses to possible inquiries. We found that customers often send email inquiries using a different email than the address used when making the payment. We respond promptly but to an email that is rarely checked or instantly filtered to the spam or trash folders.
If you do not hear from us in a timely manner, please check your email spam filters. We reply promptly but every so often, when we receive hundreds of emails in the same day, even GMail hiccups and identifies a certain number of these messages as spam.
Thank you,
Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear
Dec 07, 2011
Best Moments of My Life
I was a junior in high school. I had heard of Rent, watched the movie, loved it, but I was too scared to audition for a part in the upcoming school musical:
Sep 14, 2011
Harry Potter Costume Set A Top Seller
Harry Potter® costumes are going to be big this Halloween and Christmas.
Wondering which Hogwarts® costume is the top seller?
According to our stats it is the Deluxe Kids Costume set. This set includes black robe with clasp, Harry Potter's eyeglasses, and wand.
So let the kids (and the adults) channel their inner wizard.
Wondering which "wizard wear" products were top sellers this past week?
Quidditch® styled sweaters with coordinating knee socks.
Harry Potter® lives on...
Aug 18, 2011
Is it safe to speak of Lord Voldemort?
Lord Voldemort is a fictional character from the Harry Potter series of books and movies. He is a dark wizard who will do anything to ensure his own immortality, including murder. Lord Voldemort is so feared by the other wizards that everyone calls him as he-who-must-not-be-named. He is Harry Potter's archenemy in the film.
Voldemort tried to kill Harry after he killed Harry's parents. Nevertheless, Harry survived and was labelled "the boy who lived". The explanation for Voldemort living while trying to kill Harry is quite complex. It basically involves the fact that only Harry or Voldemort may live at one time. Irritated and scared of the prediction Voldemort attempts, numerous times, to assassinate Harry.
In the first book Voldemort took over a teacher at the school. In the second book Voldemort or Tom Riddle came back through a book to try to kill Harry in the Chamber of Secrets with a huge snake. Voldemort is a bad wizard from the Slytherin house, who fears only Dumbledore and Harry.
Lord Voldemort has no feeling whatsoever and is 100% evil with one aim to control the entire wizarding and non-wizarding worlds. This makes Lord Voldemort one of the greatest Halloween Costumes for years to come!
Voldemort Outfits Consist of the Following Pieces
Voldemort costumes will consist of your best wizard clothes and a Voldemort mask. This usually involves getting a long black robe the longer the better. You will also want a Voldemort Mask to cover your face.
You also have the hands to purchase for the costume as well. Voldemort as a dead entity must keep trying to come back from no form so his hands have long nails, bony structure, and his skin is a very pale color, almost white. You will also need a wand to complete the costume.
Robes-You'll need a large black robe. It buttons across to the right side, so what you wear underneath doesn't matter.
Face-There are some Voldemort masks out there. However , to have a more realistic look, use make-up. Use a sponge to cover the face in white to simulate Voldemort's pale skin. Add subtle hints of blue to tint the temples, jawline and a touch under the eyes.
Hair-If you are not bald try using a bald cap from your local costume shop. Or use gel to hold your hair back while you cover your head with the hood of your robes. You'll have the best Voldemort Costume if you follow those simple steps!
Jul 10, 2011
Harry Potter® Removable Wall Art
Create your own Hogwarts® scene with life sized removable wall art.
Jun 21, 2011
RENT© Returns To Broadway
RENT© is back...
Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize musical returns to the Broadway stage after a record-breaking 12 years run.
Based Puccini's opera, La Bohème, RENT follows a year in the lives of seven friends living in New York's East Village
This is a new production, directed by Michael Greif. It features a new cast as well as a new look at favorite characters.
There is nothing like RENT©!
May 20, 2011
School Cardigan Delivery Date
I would love to order one of your school cardigans to wear to the New Zealand midnight premiere of the last movie - I thought I was being ahead of time
Jan 19, 2011
Copyright Infringement
Recently, we discovered that nearly all our website images had been copied without prior permission onto several "less than desirable" websites.
Although our website content and images are protected by a registered copyright in effect since 2002, all images will now be watermarked and - more importantly - tracked through a reporting service. Usage parameters have been set for unlicensed images.
Some will be replaced in their original positions while others will be moved to other locations throughout our website.
Please contact us with any questions. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Thank you,Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear
Oct 03, 2010
Wizard Theme Parties
The best wizard theme parties - Did you host a party? Share your ideas with everyone!
Jul 12, 2010
RENT Sweater Sizing and Measurements
Looking for a custome fit? Review measurements and detailed RENT sweater sizing information.
Apr 03, 2010
Frequently Asked Questions | Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear
Answers to frequently asked questions from our customers...
Continue reading "Frequently Asked Questions | Hobbie's House of Wizard Wear"
July 2013