Packing

On Saturday I'm heading out for a week of knitting, classes, sightseeing and eating in Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico with a group organized by Jane Thornley.  I must take a deep breath and think logically about packing.  I'm not worried about clothes: a couple of pairs of jeans, one good pair of slacks, t-shirts, comfortable shoes, toiletries, hair stuff, etc. - the basics.  The knitting, on the other hand, takes more planning. 

Why is it that I always overpack, even on a knitting-related vacation?  We're being given yarn to make our class project  There are a number of yarn stores that we'll be visiting where there will undoubtedly be temptations.  I think I'm planning to pack too much.  Here's what I've got so far, and keep in mind that the trip is 8 days long, not 8 months:

On the right is "Floyd", the name that's been given to my pink afghan by my always humorous friend, Pam A.  Floyd. Pink.  Pink Floyd.  Get it?!!  Pam cracks me up.  I've got around 175 more little blocks to make and I've been cutting 8-yard lengths from balls of yarn and winding them into little butterflies for the trip.  I actually have *4 afghans* in the works at the moment and I'd really like to complete something before I afghan again!  More about them later in this post.

To the left is the scond Maryland sock.  The first was finished almost a month ago and I'm only now working on the cuff of sock #2. With so much sock yarn in the stash I need to keep going.  Besides, I do have that goal of finishing 12 pairs of socks in 12 months.  I'm on track to succeed so I can't slow down now.  Nine pairs are finished and I know that knitting time is sometimes limited towards the end of the year.

Above that is the yarn to make another Airborne cap.  You may remember that I was making hats for my friend's grandson, Tyler, and his friends, who were in Afghanistan.  Now, Tyler's brother, Brent, has just finished his Airborne training and needs a cap, too.  He's still in the US, by the way.

I think that's enough knitting.  I hope so.  I also have to be sure that I have the needles, patterns and supplies that I'll need.  My brain hurts from all this planning!  Besides the knitting, I'm taking along my new school textbook.  My first class is on September 10th and I thought I'd get a head start on the reading.

Okay, the *4 afghans* that I mentioned:  (1) Moderne Log Cabin from the ladies at Mason-Dixon Knitting.  The link goes to the free pattern posted on Amazon.com - the one I'm doing is on the left.  I started this back on July 18, 2008.  It's time to wrap this one up.  I have done all except the last 2 blocks, #9.  I set it aside when I started thinking that it was big enough already and maybe I should do the border and call it done.  I never really decided, or picked it up again. It is big enough and needs to be finished.

(2) The Sock Yarn Blankie is so close to being finished that I'm actually able to use it in it's unfinished state.  I'm now working the little triangle bits to make straight sides, then I'll do the border and it'll be done.

(3) Floyd.  This won't take long as I'm motivated to finish as soon as possible and it is coming on vacation with me.

The plan is to finish these projects within the next month to six weeks.  I'm getting itchy to get back to challenging intarsia, fairisle sweaters, and, especially, my Bohus and the Triangle Squares Cushion. 

(4) Lastly is my Travel Afghan.  I'll need to take more trips before I'll have all the blocks completed so I'm not really in any hurry to finish this project.  I am, however, a year behind.  I currently have 3 blocks that need to be done and after next week that number grows to 4.  Getting caught up is high on my list of priorities.

Feel free to nag me, ask me how these projects are coming along and if any are finished!