What I'm Crocheting on Our Holidays

Our summer holidays are fast approaching, and while I am busy packing all the necessities for our week away, I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to crochet while we are traveling...obviously this is something very important to consider.

While I would rather not start another crochet project when I already have three on the go, I think it is unavoidable in this case. The small elephant that I am working on is about ready to be stuffed and sewn together, so I can't bring that because there are just too many small supplies to pack. There would be way too much yarn to bring along if I wanted to work on embellishments for my wreath. And my blanket is getting a little large to cart around.

So a new project it is.

When choosing a project to bring along on holidays I always try to find something that meets the following criteria:

• Simple - something I can work on in the midst of many distractions - at the airport, on the plane, pool side, lake side - I want something that I can work on while carrying on a conversation, something that I can easily pick up and put down.
• Limited Colors - I don't want to lug all kinds of yarn around
• Small - it needs to fit in my lap
• Fun - it is summer after all

And while this is not always the case, this time around I was determined to choose a project that I could make using yarn from my stash. Stash busting continues.

So, with all this in mind, I have decided to crochet stash baskets as we travel. They meet all my criteria with the added advantage that I will be able to use up the variegated yarn that I have had in my drawer for years (variegated yarn always seems like a good idea to buy, it always looks so pretty all wound up in a ball, but then I find it very difficult to find something to make with it).

I've packed my project - yarn, hook, pattern, tape measure - in a pretty pouch which I will slip into my purse so that it is readily available whenever a crocheting opportunity arises. My scissors, yarn needles, and a few extra balls of yarn will be packed in my checked bag.

I love having a crochet project with me when I travel. I love to pull it out and work on it in different places. I love that it is something that I can do during the down times, the wait times that are inevitable as you travel. I love that when I come home with a finished (or near-finished) project, I always remember that I worked on it while somewhere else. Crochet always make me happy and brings me joy (it has been on almost every one of my Now is Now lists), I can not imagine leaving home without it.