Letters
Wanderlust Hits
Dear Kay,
The other day, we were talking about vacation knitting. It really is one of the most delicious challenges. Excruciating choices have to be made. The paring down of possibilities. The decisions, oh crikey how can I ever choose what to bring?
I’m feeling pretty good about my game plan for my family trip. Keep it simple. Single-skeiners. Some skinny little Spincycle Dyed in the Wool skeins will keep me guessing about how my hats are going to turn out.
I am not actually taking all these skeins. But maybe I should? What if I end up stranded someplace with only three skeins of Spincycle Dyed in the Wool? What if I . . . run out?
And of course, I’m bringing the stalwart companion for pretty much any trip: socks. I got lost in our selection of Neighborhood Fiber Co. as I dreamydreamed about my vacation plans, and I landed upon a trio of Karida’s colors that just look like a set.
This is Organic Studio Sock in Logan Circle, Belair, and my ultrafave, the bright blue of Canton. But what about the other eight colors of Organic Studio Sock? What if I suddenly become allergic to green?
It’s no coincidence that our sock-knitting Field Guide No. 11 is called Wanderlust. I’ve got it bad, and I’m glad that these three skeins are going to be along for the ride with me.
I don’t expect to knit six socks and five hats on my trip, but you never know.
Love,
Ann
PS We had such a great time last week doing a couple of vendor sessions at Virtual Knitting Live. Thanks to everybody who came by to hang out and hear the latest news. How are you all feeling about Zoom these days? I know a lot of people have Zoom fatigue, but I’m grateful for the chance to see folks near and far via Zoom.
Although not as personal as we’ve enjoyed in the past I Love Zoom knitting classes and interactions! Have had so many wonderful opportunities that I’d never be able to come close to having because of zoom. I know folks like to be back around the knitting lounge but for us without a local yarn store offering classes and such, it has been a game changer to my knotting!!
Totally agree with Lisa and Beth. Live is great, but Zoom has been a godsend this year and I’m nothing but grateful for it. Got to attend things from far away that wouldn’t have been in my budget to attend live and the chance to see everyone, even virtually, has been great.
Ann, you will never grow allergic to green. 🙂
I am coming home from 2 weeks in California and Colorado. Of course I packed a complex pair of socks (3 balls of yarn for stripes) and sleeve WIP. Did that stop me from buying more yarn? NO! After all, discovering new shops is part of the adventure! I also fell for a 10 inch Cricket rigid heddle loom. So tiny and cute! I was a weaver before starting to seriously knit. So, there is a heddle and warp and weft yarns in my bag, too. Travel rekindled my love of weaving. Can’t wait to get home to start something new!
I couldn’t agree more Lisa! I’ve become a major fan of the Virtual VKL monthly sessions, always finding something to partake in, even if just listening to the keynote talk. And living in an area without any knitting friends or circles I’m so happy to be able to take classes on Zoom from near and far abroad.
Hey Ann!! I hope you have a great vacation!! Your yarn packing is like my general packing and then on top of that I need squishy gold and I never know what I want to bring especially if it’s up to the family cottage because my little nieces love yarn too, one is learning and the other well she’s too busy and can’t sit still yet but she pretends!
Cheers to summer knitting car rides, beaches, on the boat, or just hanging out in the yard ☀️
Ann, I can tell that you don’t have second sock syndrome. If you did have it, you would be considering a potential 3 socks to knit (one in each color) not six! As for Zoom, I have not participated. It has been offered for classes by one of my LYS, but I have felt awkward about doing it. Regarding the Spincycle yarn, bring all of the colors along. That way, if you find a place that you like while on vacation, you’ll be able to elect to stay there a longer! Have fun!
Have a fabulous vacation!
Zoom? Show me those precious grandkids!!!
Ann, I just love when you remind us of all we have in common – who doesn’t agonize over travel knitting choices!? In addition to the delusion I’ll have time to cast on and complete five new projects during a trip, I usually bring a WIP that needs some dedicated time to bring it over the finish line. For me, there are plenty of those to choose from. Once in a while, I force myself to be single-focused and JUST bring the WIP so I have no choice but to make it the one-and-only focus of the trip. Excruciating decision, but it can result in the very rare finished object. Of course, when I say “just the WIP” you all know I actually have at least one backup project packed, too.
I love getting together with other knitters, and people of all sorts on Zoom. Take all the yarn, maybe even an extra suitcase full. If anything happens to disrupt your plans knitting will make it better.
I recently had to vacate my house due to renovations. I flew out of town and took what I thought I would need. After one month I came home and was able to stop at the house to pick up some extra knitting – since everything was in chaos, I was able to find some yarn. I finished my ten stitch blanket 5 pairs of socks learning the toe up method. I also made 3 potholders with the Potholder Loom Pro. That was fun. What was supposed to be 3-4 weeks turned out to be 3 months. Happy Knitting everyone.
The flip side of vacation knitting is finding a yarn shop at my destination and buying souvenir yarn that I can’t find at home, usually a couple of skeins of sock yarn.
Zoom knitting on Saturday afternoon is still the high point of the week. I can’t imagine that will ever stop!
Let’s hope not. I wouldn’t have a knitting community without Zoom!
We now know we must plan for weeks of extra knitting when traveling. It totally could happen that we get stuck somewhere and run out of yarn. Take more. Maybe an extra suitcase more.
Just got home from a driving trip across the country and guess what? FLAT TIRE! in the desert. Middle of nowhere. So I had so much unscheduled knitting time! Waiting for AAA waiting at one tire place then waiting at another tire place! Stress over flat tire? Not me! I had my knitting along!! Take extra cuz you never know…
Wow – you are brave!!
My daughter recently flew from New York to Chicago, and brought her knitting along. She informed me upon arrival that it was a one hat flight!
Zoom or Google Meet/Duo are here to stay. Engaging w people from all over – and sharing ideas, talks, conferences, arts, has been a bright spot these past 18 months. It was enriching at times, illuminating and connecting.
Except ‘Cocktails w a Curator’ from the Frick have ended. Fortunately they live on at YouTube.
Selecting travel knitting and crocheting is the most stressful part of packing! I usually take too much…. Thanks for reminding me of the Wanderlust Field Guide!
I am comfortable with Virtual meetings and classes! I can attend faraway events not available otherwise! I can read to my grandkids and watch them play…
Zoom has been amazing and all the presenters have gotten so much better at it. I have been all over the world enjoying different designers and knitting shops. Unfortunately I can get in a lot of trouble ordering projects and yarn that I soooo don’t need. Like most of us, I will have to live a very long time to complete all the pieces in my queue.
I look forward to your emails and snippets everyday. I am sure this is very time consuming to do on top of everything else, but it is very much enjoyed. A big “Thank You” to you both.
I took up knitting again during the pandemic and Zoom and the internet were my constant companions in my learning cycle. Thankfully I discovered MDK early on. There are so many things I love about your site: The writing is fantastic, the tone is encouraging and uplifting; the knitting guides are inspiring and the comments from the community make me feel like I belong to a world of compassionate people – not an easy feat in these times. So thank you! KNIT ON brothers and sisters.
I always pack my knitting first, and I always overestimate how much I can get done! But you never know…
I am hoping we stick with Zoom and that you can feature the designers for your field guides each time – that was so fun! Plus I always learned something each time.
Have a great vacation!
Zoom Rules!
Zoom meeting have been magical. Being able to attend meetings held in Europe that normally would have required thousands of dollars to hear has been a godsend.
I was just reading about a luxury/crazy 5 month cruise (73k per person, sold out in 3 hours), and my FIRST thought was “how does one even attempt to pack knitting for that!”
LOL, spoken like a true knitter!
I have learned over the years what “works” for me in terms of packing projects for a trip. My hubby and I are cruising fans. I used to bring 2 or 3 projects for a week trip, just in case I got bored working on one (or two). Of course with all of the running around involved with shore excursions, my actual knitting time was usually just a couple of hours in the evenings…boredom really never got a chance to set in and the extra projects never got touched. Now I bring just one or two projects at the most. And as most of our travel involves flying coach class, I have found it increasingly difficult to knit while crammed into my seat. As I am multicraftual, I have found crochet to be far easier to accomplish in such circumstances (but not afghans, LOL)—and crochet hooks don’t get the same scrutiny from the TSA as do my nice, pointy, carbon knitting needles!
Thinking about travel packing reminds me of a card I bought at my favorite out of town yarn shop, which reads: Going away for the weekend, need about three balls of yarn. Packing another 148, just in case.
I think we all relate! My other favorite card from the same source reads: My problem is not that I have too much yarn. My problem is that I shop faster than I knit.
I know for sure I shop faster than I knit when I travel. I may never see this yarn again!!!! Can’t risk running out!!! Look at all the colors it comes in!!!
And so forth.
I’m so grateful for Zoom. It has allowed me to go from only being able to lead MedKNITation at a live VKL to being able to teach every month. I’m careful about how much I Zoom, and it’s wonderful to be connected with other knitters and crocheters across the country, and even the world!
I am going to take Wanderlust on my lake vacation. Have not made socks before and I am excited to try! Love the guide! Thanks for the inspiration!
I’m on vacay with 4 projects – one pair of socks, a rather complex steeked stranded triangular shawl, a summer top and a cardigan. Um – the shawl has not been touched. I may have done less knitting on this trip than on any other in recent memory! (But had to pack cuz who knows how things will play out…)
I’m packing for a trip to my sister’s in NJ. She lives within shouting distance of several yarn shops, and I packed a potholder loom for a great-nibling activity. Well, a few projects for me as well. Clothes are always the last thing I think about!
Ann, I totally relate to your packing dilemma…I can’t pack ANYTHING else for a trip until my knitting is settled. And I generally bring (at minimum) 10X the amount of knitting I need, just in case. Heck, I’ve been known to bring 3 months’ worth of knitting with me to the hair salon. You never know what might happen!
How are you feeling about Zoom? Video has always been my last resort… after I have failed to master a technique with pictures and words, most recently Japanese short rows.
Two days ago I sat with my sister, unmasked, indoors, for the first time, after her shoulder repair operation. Four of us, all fully vaccinated for more than two weeks. The joy! The rush of happiness! A depth of understanding and intimacy I have been missing as I saw the expressions move across her face. Zoom has its place, but I realized then all I have missed and won’t take for granted in future.