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Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Vacation Knitting

I truly love vacation knitting, because my husband loves to drive. He drives, and I tackle crowd control and knitting. On our current trip to California, I have been knitting a lot. The drive to our first destination was greatly delayed. We ended up on a detour after sitting on the interstate in parking lot circumstances. The detour added another couple hours to the trip.

I wasn't worried though. I had several knitting projects and an arsenal of audiobooks. Since I had finished my Shalom sweater a few nights before we left, I was fresh for a new project. My brother and sister in law are expecting their second child mid-August. It seemed like the perfect excuse for some baby knitting. I cast-on and finished a pair of baby booties in some stashed yarn. The pattern was quick and easy and looked quite cute in the variegated yarn. They seemed a bit big, but my sister in law reminded me about our history of large babies.
Pax's Booties for Ginny's Yarn Along
After I finished the booties, I began a shawl in another skein of sock yarn. It is the Lavalette pattern in the honeycomb colorway from Zen Yarn Garden.

I really like how it is coming along. The color is fantastic for a burst of color. With this shawl and the others I have recently made, I am finally making some progress with my stashed yarn. It was getting a bit heavy on sock yarn. After giving a few skeins away, I have plans for a few more shawls and a couple pairs of socks (I have heard from several friends and a certain sister in law about the need for handmade socks).

Due to the traffic delay, I also swatched for another sweater for me. I am making the Oatmeal Pullover in Puffin by Quince and Co Puffin. The swatching went well, and I plan to start while on the next leg of the trip. It is amazing to go from no sweaters to three in one year.

As far as what I am reading, I have to say it is mostly audiobooks. I am fortunate that our family enjoys audiobooks. I know some families do not. While driving, we listen to books above all else. Our main book for the first part of the trip was The Indian in the Cupboard. We had read and listened to it in the past, but none of the kiddos remembered it. They really enjoyed it this time. We also listened to part of The Saturdays (Melendy Quartet) series, which is always a crowd pleaser. Aine especially seems to like the children in these stories. On my own, I have been listening to My Antonia. The Nebraska setting of the story speaks to my roots and reminds me of the place I was born.

9 comments:

  1. My husband prefers to do the driving when we go on road trips and I definitely take advantage of this time to knit, too!

    The booties are adorable :)

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  2. It is really nice to be the passenger, isn't it? Thanks!

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  3. Your shawl is going to be gorgeous- I love the yellow!

    Sweet little booties too- with baby knits I'd always rather they come out a little too big. Babies grow so quickly and that way you know it will fit at some point, right?

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  4. My hubby also loves the driving - perfect for me to get lots of knitting done on road trips!
    I love that bright burst of yellow. Such a happy colour.
    I'm excited to see your oatmeal pullover - I have that pattern but haven't done anything with it yet.

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  5. Anonymous2:29 PM

    Such great colors for the booties. We sometimes share the driving, but I like when he drives because I knit!

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  6. I knit while my husband drives which makes for a stronger marriage...we no longer fight about me over-reacting to his driving because I am happily focused on my knitting and he is left in peace. I also love to listen to audio books...they make driving time FLY by :)

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  7. Anonymous11:13 AM

    Audiobooks are a very good thing.

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  8. cute little booties! as far as your reading...we did the indian in the cupboard and the melendy quartet and the kids loved them all. my antonia is one of those books i can read over and over...so good!

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  9. WHat gorgeous booties.

    I love that you knit as you travel - I have been known to suggest long car journies because that will give me a chance to get on with my knitting guilt free:)

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