I love to travel. I mean really, really love to travel! I log almost as many travel miles as I do regular miles. When I travel, I also love to bring my crochet! Often before a trip there are many crochet decisions that have to be made. Some of you may be laughing but others know exactly what I mean. What yarn to bring… what project to bring… how many hooks do I bring… what size hooks do I bring… should I bring my Ott lite…. what happens if I loose my pattern? The questions are almost as endless as the answers. (I also love giveaways … Scroll down to see how)
That was definitely the case for me until I started developing a process as I was traveling a lot to teach both crochet and knitting so I needed to get a handle on how much I stuff I was bringing.
So I start by planning in advance my projects that I am going to bring. This helps to guide the answers to the other questions.Traveling on the train is the perfect place to get plenty of time to stitch. I usually pick projects that are at a point where the crochet is rhythmical and relatively mindless. I line up my various WIP’s ( works in progress) to see which ones are at this point or can be brought to this point. I usually plan this one week to one month in advance of my trip.
Once I have narrowed down my projects to this decision point I will often then decide what kind of space I will have to work. When I take the train into Manhattan for shows or to teach I know that sometimes my space can be limited to work in. ( This is not the time to bring that afghan you have been working on for months that is almost a queen size. You will not make friends.. lol… besides do you really want to carry that?) Projects that fit nicely into a project bag are perfect for this. For example, I may be working on a garment and instead of taking the whole piece with me, I will bring a sleeve or back or front. I also love to bring small gifts I am working on like lovey size blankies, hats for babies to be born and I absolutely love to work on preemie beanies for my local NICU. Cowls, headgear and mittens are also perfect candidates.
Once I have narrowed it down to three projects, I start to consider how many to bring with me. If I am just heading into the NYC, one is usually sufficient and all I want to carry. However, if I am headed to teach at conference I will bring usually at least three because you never know when weather will effect your trip or you will have extra time on your hands.
Next step, patterns. The age old question.. how do I bring them with me. When I am designing I always make sure I send myself a digital copy via email so it is always available on my smart phone. I also make a hard copy that goes in my project bag and an extra in my luggage. ( I could loose anything if you give me a chance.) If I have purchased them from Ravelry, I make sure to put them in my library so I can also have them available on the go. When working from a book or magazine, I bring them along too as long as they are a portable size.
Then I organize my hooks. I have to confess I always have certain things with me if I am traveling to my local stitching hangout or across the country. One of those things is hooks. A full set of ones a usually work with from a D to a K. I use the Clover hook organizer and they all neatly fit in there. I also usually bring one or two extra of the hook size I am working because I have a tendency to drop them between seats.
In my bag of tricks that I always have with me is a tape measure, a tapestry needles ( I like the chibi tube from Clover), a scissor or puppy snips, good hand salve ( I like the one from Eutopia Bath) and a just in case pair of hand support crafting gloves that help keep my hands going when fatigued.
As a thank you for visiting my blog today, here is a free pattern for a preemie beanie that allows you to use your travel time to help make the world a better place. If you live locally we are doing a drive for preemie beanies during the Long Island Yarn Crawl. Ad conveniently one of the stores I teach at is right off the main train line in Mattituck, NY so make one and join us April 7-10.
Pattern: Mattituck Preemie Beanie
Yarn: Approximately 100 yards of Worsted Weight Yarn
Hook size: US 6/4.25 mm Or size needed to obtain gauge
Finished Size: 7” (2 lb preemie), 8” (2-3 lb preemie), 9” (4-5 lb preemie), 11” (5-6 lb preemie) total circumference
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Estimated time to finish: 2 hours
Gauge: 4.25 sts/in, 14 rows= 4inches
Ch 3(3,4,4), join with a sl st to form rnd
Rnd 1: ch 2 (counts as first hdc), work (9,11, 13,15,)hdc into rnd (10,12,14,16 hdc)
Rnd 2: ch 2 (counts as first hdc), 1dc into same st as ch, 2dc in each hdc around (20, 24 ,28,32 hdc)
Rnd 3: ch 2, (counts as first hdc), (2 dc in next hdc, 1 hdc in next hdc) repeat ( ) around (30,36,42,48 hdc)
Rnds 4-10(12, 16,20): ch 2, (counts as first hdc), 1 hdc in each hdc around (30,36,42,48 hdc)
To win a prize, ( a full set of travel hooks) tell me in the comments how you like to travel with your crochet! And I’ll pick a winner at 8 pm est on March 28th 2016
And to get any of my crochet patterns for 75 % off for next two days March 28 & 29. Use code natcromo on ravelry! This has been updated as the computer was having a problem executing the last sale. Happy hooking friends!
http://www.ravelry.com/people/eastenddesignco
EAST END DESIGN COMPANY 
My son gave me a set of waterproof, zippered, beautiful bags for my WIPs I always have at least 2 ready to go (hooks, scissors, yarn). When I travel, I just grab and go. Of course, not all my projects can become WIPs at the same time since many use the same size hook. A set of travel books would make my day and I’d likely get more items made! 🙂
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fyi your code is not working for Ravelry, Nice article. Thanks Debi
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I always travel with multiple projects each in a separate bag. I never know what mood I’ll be in and which one I want to work on.
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I keep a to-go bag with a larger project, hooks or needles, pattern, notions, etc., and pick it up on my way out the door for doctor appointments and the like. If I know I will be gone from my yarn stash for any length of time, I plan out a project and take it but always take my entire set of hooks – you never know when you will find a yarn store and a new project when you’re travelling.
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I mostly travel by car, so has to be an easy pattern to do when I am not driving. Right now in my purse is a scarf that I am doing in broomstick lace.
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I like to take several smaller projects,e.g. shawl or scarf or squares. Everything I need,including printed pattern,is in a large sealed freezer bag. They are in a separate zippered tote,easy to carry and keeps everything safe in one place.
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I learned to crochet due to a disability that keeps me mostly housebound, so I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to travel with crochet. This weekend, however, there was an unexpected long car trip. I wound yarn for 3 different projects the night before, grabbed the mini tote that holds my go-to tools (regular and Tunisian hooks, stitch markers, scissors, tape measure, hook gauge, etc), a few snacks, and a pillow, and was ready to go. The mini tote fit right into a regular tote bag with the yarn on top so everything was together. Of course, I should have pre-downloaded the pattern I needed from my Ravelry library to my phone, as for unknown reasons it wouldn’t download on the road. Another of the projects I was waiting on a decision from the recipient that didn’t come, so it turned out I just had one project with me. Fortunately, it was plenty to keep me occupied.
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I always take a project with me whenever I go anywhere. In its own project bag, with patterns, pad pen/pencil, and any other notions I may need.
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Yolanda you are the winner of today’s give away. Please email me your address so I can send you your hooks! At eastenddesignco@yahoo.com ! Please keep on commenting and I’ll send an ergo hook to someone tomorrow night!
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Thanks for sharing your travel tips and for celebrating NatCroMo 2016 with this opportunity!
My grab-and-go crochet kit fits in a zippered pouch made for 3-ring binders. It’s sturdy polyester canvas with a clear vinyl window on one side. I keep a full set of hooks (steels up to P), stitch markers, small scissors, tape measure, sewing gauge (short ruler with sliding marker), blunt needles, a pen, a highlighter, and an emery board. Pattern printouts fit nicely, too. I’m prepared for just about anything except blocking. A recent addition is notebook to jot down ideas, inspirations, trials-and-errors, tips, etc.
For trips by plane, I swap out the scissors for small fingernail clippers. Because I’ve noticed this concern come up a few times on the NatCroMo Express, I will say that crochet hooks are absolutely allowed in the cabin (knitting needles are, too!) in the U.S.A., at least.
Unlike you, Susie, I don’t have any great insights into choosing projects. So far, I’ve been bringing too many and hardly end up working on them! I love that you often have the option to travel by train. Individual project bags are a great idea. I’ll have to whip up a few.
Thanks again!
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I usually pack up a couple of WIPs when I travel. I make lots of gifts for babies and children so they are usually small enough to carry in a small tote with my scissors and the crochet hooks that I need for those projects. Most of my travel is done in a car. My husband doing the driving of course. I carry projects with me everywhere especially to husbands doctors appt. And on vacations. Thanks for the lovely giveaway. I would love to have that beautiful set of travel hooks to keep with my travel project tote.
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Hi. I just finished traveling and had my small project bag with two small projects in it. Worked great. Each was a different stitch so I could switch it up.
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I’ve been photographed crocheting as we cruise out of NYC past the Statue of Liberty!
I like to take my ‘go to’ hooks in a zip lock bag and do small projects like shawls, scarfs and hats. My biggest travel mistake was not taking yarn with me on a month trip to Florida in January. I was working on a cross-stitch birth announcement and finished before the time was up!. My husband had pity on me and we went to Joann’s for yarn. I had my hooks thank goodness!
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I have multiple hooks in the most common sizes so I leave my hook in the bag with my project. I then have a small makeup type bag that I keep my scissors, tape measure, stitch markers and yarn needle. I throw that little bag into whatever project bag I’m taking and go. Since I do mostly motifs or small projects, almost all of my bags are portable so this method works really well for me.
Cheers,
Shauna
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