It's every knitter's nightmare: being stranded somewhere without knitting!
Or at least it's my nightmare. Last week on my way to work (it's a winding 2-lane highway through the hills) I got stuck behind a car accident with no real way around it.
Luckily, I had my current sock-in-progress with me, and there was enough knitting left to get me through the 45 minute wait. But it got me thinking... what if I'd only had the toe decreases left? How would I have managed the other 30 minutes of sitting in my car waiting for the road to clear? I may well have had to rip and re-knit the toe several times... and while I'm all about ripping and re-knitting to improve a project, I don't particularly want to do that just to keep my hands occupied.
In order to avoid this potentially horrible situation, I have come up with the Emergency Sock in the Glove Box solution: put a set of needles and skein of yarn in a project bag, and store that in your glove compartment. Then, if you forget to take knitting with you, get stuck waiting unexpectedly, or finish your other project, you've got backup knitting!
Of course, make sure the yarn and needles in the glove box are not your absolute favorite, and that the socks (or whatever you decide to knit) don't have a deadline, because once they've rescued you from that particular emergency you'll want to put them BACK in the glove box! Otherwise, you may well end up in exactly the situation you are trying to avoid...
Ever wished you had your knitting when you were stuck somewhere?
24 comments
I personally would never leave my knitting in a car. Wool absorbs moisture from the air, and if left in the hot sun it will bake a crease into your project. Many students have brought their projects to my teacher and there is nothing that can be done. No amount of blocking or ironing will take it out.
The above MAY only happen if left is a plastic bag but I am not 100% sure about this. My teacher has been teaching knitting for over 20 years, she knows her job. I for one, would never leave knitting in a car regardless. I never leave anything in a car that I would not want stolen, so therefore my car is empty. I do however carry a project with me in my purse.
Oh Mary Lynn, I do the same thing at red lights! Don’t tell hubby, though. I do have what I call my car project. It’s a small bag with a simple scarf using novelty yarn. And Jean, you’re right. I’m a much more patient patient with my knitting.
I always have a sock in my purse. I need to have something in my car. I usually do washcloths for car knitting. I love the post about clean undies and sock yarn/needles. Cracked me up!
Oh my gosh this is a BRILLIANT idea. Now to convince my partner to allow me to keep knitting in his car since that is the only place I am the passenger!
That’s one reason I always try to have multiple WIPs! If the one I’m concentrating on is almost done, I grab the next project bag as well when I’m leaving the house, just in case…