We’ve had a very hot week here in the UK even though the Bank
Holiday weekend, of course, is a bit overcast and we’ve even had some
thunderstorms. So instead of enjoying our first ever BBQ of the year with our
first ever BBQ grill, I have been thinking about holiday knitting. Not holiday as in
Christmas (despite my working on a Christmas project right now), but holiday as
in summer, sun and beaches.
I don’t know about you, but I love the seaside and I miss it
terribly here in the city. So I am especially excited that we will be going
to the south coast again next month and I don’t even really care too much about
the weather we may have there. The most important thing is that I can dip my
feet into the sea again and, if I am lucky, I may also get to have a swim
(unlikely, but you never know).
So with the approaching holiday, I have been thinking about
whether to take any knitting with me at all. I will only be away for a few days
and I am sure we will have enough to do so I won’t have the energy to knit
much. Still, I will be on the train for a few hours there and back and having a knitting
project with me just in case is probably a very good idea.
Choosing what to take with you isn’t always easy, so here
are 5 tips to help us knitters decide what to take with us on a summer holiday
by the sea. Let me know in the comments what else you think should be on
the list!
1. Choose portable
projects
Unless you’re planning a road trip and have enough space
around you on the journey, a small knitting project is the most practical way
to go. Nobody likes having to keep their elbows close to them when knitting and
seat neighbours on trains, planes and coaches won’t be too happy about being
jabbed with needle ends every so often either. So keep this in mind and take a
project with you that doesn’t take up too much room. Anything that can be worked
on circular needles is even better because you are less likely to drop them and having to crawl around on the floor to find them again.
2. Stay away from
chunky knits
Unless it is a very small project such as a hat, it makes
sense to not bother with chunky yarn in a warm climate because your hands will get
very hot and sweaty very quickly. You won’t want to have something so warm heaped on
your lap either, I expect. And that reminds me: Make sure to stay hydrated! We
do get so engrossed in our craft that we aren’t aware of how time flies. I can’t
even tell you how often I made a pot of tea, sat down with my WIP and totally
forgot to drink any of it until it was completely cold. So have a drink within
reach (and within sight) so you remember to stay hydrated. Any excuse for a
nice cocktail by the pool, I suppose!
3. Leave your
treasures at home
It may be tempting to bring one of your most precious yarns with you, but if you are in a salty, sandy environment like a beach it’s
probably not the best choice. Take something along that you won’t mind getting
a bit of sand on even if you have all intentions of being careful with your knitting.
Things happen, you drop something, spill sunscreen on things, a gust of wind
blows sand about… You’ll be glad you’ve taken a yarn with you that you can be
sure can cope with it and can be washed without fuss. Think a WIP you won’t mind
flinging aside for a quick dip in the sea.
4. WIP it
A holiday is the perfect excuse to get on with that WIP you
just can’t seem to finish. If you’ve been procrastinating, simply haven’t had
the time or haven’t been in the mood to work on something you started, this is
the time to take it with you and get it done. To keep you from procrastinating
even more, try not to take too many other tempting knits with you or you’ll end
up choosing those over your long-term WIP. If all you have with you is that one
WIP you’ve been neglecting, you just can’t avoid it any longer.
5. Remember your
notions
It’s easy to forget that once you’ve
finished the actual knitting part of your project, there’s still some more work
to do. There’s the often dreaded weaving in of threads that comes to mind
immediately. So if you plan to properly finish your WIP on holiday, remember to
at least take scissors and a darning needle along. Your project may also
require stitch markers, so make sure you have some with you just in case. Keep
them all stored somewhere safe like a box or zipped case that won’t open if you
happen to drop it or someone knocks it over. Again, don’t take your best
notions along if you can in case you lose them for some reason.
Happy knitting and enjoy your holidays!