A Packing Challenge
I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, natural history and naval architecture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, tapestry, and porcelain.
-John Adams
-John Adams
We've previously discussed that the most difficult packing challenge for a trip is always the yarn. What to knit? How to predict your mood, your time, the changes that pressurized cabins will wrought on your gauge? How to have the perfect project at hand for every eventuality?
Now I have the packing challenge of all packing challenges. I'm going here. Ignoring, please, the fact it is currently 97 degrees and humid at Fort Sam Houston, and that avoiding places like this is actually the entire reason I joined the Navy and not the Army or Air Force (with all due respect to our colleagues in those esteemed services), and that I had to acquire a gas mask for this little escapade . . . Ignoring all that - What, exactly, does one knit while wearing camouflage?
In a few short days, I'm heading off to embrace the knitting/packing challenge of the year. In ten days I will:
- have several hours in airports
- between two flight segments
- spend 4 days in ATLS training, with my nights free to wear civilian clothes (and, thus, presumably, knit)
- spend 4 days in the field running around doing mock casualty drills
- fly home - more airports, more flights
What are our options? I knit lace on normal flights. Good space-to-knitting-time ratio. And certainly both Peacock Feathers and Branching Out have been incredibly neglected. I'll probably throw in my plain black ribbed socks, because if I knit anything in those field tents, it'll be that, but they aren't really interesting or exciting for the plane trip. And the project I've been working on most is actually my Ribby Cardi, making good progress. But a cardigan in pieces isn't something that says travel to me. Perhaps I should cast on for another, interesting pair of socks? A Sitcom Chic in oh-so-washable Cotton-Ease?
So what should I pack with my combat boots?
posted by Theresa at 10:23 AM/Permalink
21 Comments:
I would vote for a couple of pairs of socks. Black goes with anything including camo (Hopefully you wont have to wear any on your face or hands and risk dirtying the yarn). But I might try something more fun for the flight, slightly mindless, but a bit more than stockinette.
Best of luck with both the training and the knitting decisions. I don't like taking sweater pieces traveling either; lace and socks both sound reasonable. You have posted one of my favorite quotes by one of my favorite people! I cut out a political cartoon some years ago that depicted JA penning this quote, with an additional panel reading something like "...so that their children may have the right to watch Jackass." !
Mmm, packing. I love the packing debate, and I always overpack (I'd rather have too many choices than too few!)
I vote for the lace and the black socks, plus new socks (just in case you finish the black ones) and a new project (Hey, it'll be cooling off a bit soon - you might need a new sweater!).
Have fun in SA - it's a great town, lots of wonderful Mexican food!
Lorna's Laces make a camo colorway yarn and roving - that would go with the combat boots....
Enjoy the Tex Mex food for me!
I think lace goes better with combat boots. Definitely a shawl. Socks are nice and portable too.
The Icarus Shawl in Interweave Knits Summer 2006 has an easy to memorize beginning that requires a lot of knitting before one arrives at the "feathers." See the Yarn Harlot's recent post. It's portable and practically chart- free. Sometimes it pours rain in San Antonio in September so be prepared.
Sit-com Chic in cotton would be a great asset to your New California Lifestyle ;-) Just sayin'. . .
Enablingly yours,
Oh, it definitely calls for a new pair of socks and lace - perfect combination with cami's and combat boots :)
Socks are always a good choice.
Socks and a shawl sound like a good plan. If you have time (though I am sure you will be kept busy), there are many a Brown alumn in Houston (three of whom I know are in Baylor Medical School).
I vote for socks! I just got back from TX and it was 103 degrees. I brought several knitting projects and the only thing that came out of the bag (because of the heat) were a pair of socks. I've seen the Lorna Laces sock yarn in camo colors..you should get some :-)
Have fun .... actually sounds kind of scary to me.
Good luck with training! Hopefully it will be MUCH cooler when you get there.
If it were me and I was a sock knitter. I'd pack socks, socks, socks to work on.
I would say socks, for purely historical purposes. C'mon, T. Vorenberg would want you to knit socks, in memory of the Civil War nurses.
You're going off to combat training. I start teaching high school this Wednesday. Coincidence? I think not.
Socks are always a good bet - compact and easy to stash in duffel bags should the need arise. One of my favorite stories is of the time my husband was on a military exercise. During a break he and another master sargeant were standing around in camaflouge talking about the merits of cotton versus polyester batting. They were both married to quilters! They got some pretty odd looks. Good luck on your training!
Hi T! Good Luck with your training! My vote is for the dishcloths (not to belabor the point). They would be easy to transport, wouldn't they? Stay Safe!!! Love, Mom
What, exactly, does one knit while wearing camouflage?
Camo socks OF COURSE!! I'm about to finish mine up in Lorna's Lace - Camouflage.
Something small and complicated plus something small and easy. Is there a pair of socks you've never attempted because the pattern seemed too troublesome to be worth it? Might be just the time for something like that.
I won't pretend I'm jealous of your upcoming trip...but I bet it'll be a pretty interesting experience if nothing else! Good luck!
My husband did C4 a number of years ago. He says to be prepared for surprisingly cool nights, scorpions and no free time for knitting. (He realizes that knitters may have a slightly more elastic idea of what constitutes free time, but he says to study for ATLS instead). I wish you the best, and certainly socks will make at least the travel part much more fun!
Glad San Diego is going well for you.
Socks, scarves, hats. Of course, the Icarus suggestions souns good. When I clicked the link I thought, "no time for knitting there," but the travel time will give you time and why waste it? So think of simple, separated by a block of time. Good luck in the course.
This was a great post for me to read as I'm going to Thailand in three weeks and I am spending more time planning knitting projects than poolside attire! I'm in Australia so there's no plane knitting allowed, several hours at Singapore Airport, then a week in 95% humidity and hundred plus temperatures with a girlfriend who doesn't knit. What to take, what to take? I agree it IS a dilemma, but my peacock feathers or rose of england shawls won't be going - cold beer and lace don't mix!
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