(Lace panel knit with Yarnalia Wonder Yarn in Deep Blue)
On the road again? Need to pack your Yarnalia yarn, patterns, projects, needles, and notions, and feeling a little overwhelmed? Not quite sure what to knit on your next trip? As an avid knitter for over seven years, I’ve done copious knitting during flights, packed my projects to cafes in Paris, and road trips aplenty. On my latest annual trip to our family’s favorite place, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, I packed a bag for knitting on the road (and any free moment in between).
Knitting while traveling is one of my favorite ways to both experience and remember a trip! Here are some of my best knitting travel tips to help you knit comfortably and effectively while on a trip:
1. Choose the Right Project
- Choose patterns based on your mood: Is the purpose of your vacation or trip to zen out? Opt for easy-to-follow patterns that don’t require constant concentration. Want to knit something more complex to take advantage of a quiet flight? Pick something with lace or cable charts to create something more challenging that requires concentration.
- Portable Projects: Select small, compact projects that are easy to carry.
2. Use Travel-Friendly Yarn
- Durable Yarns: Choose yarns that are less likely to snag or tangle, such as blends with a bit of nylon or acrylic. At Yarnalia, we have so many travel-appropriate yarns for you to choose from!
- Compact Yarn Balls: Yarnalia’s pre-wound balls are less likely to unravel or tangle, and they’re compact enough to stash a bunch in your project bag.
3. Pack Smart
- Travel Knitting Bag: Invest in a small, sturdy bag or case with compartments or a little pouch to keep your yarn and tools organized.
- Needle Safety: If traveling by air, use plastic or bamboo needles instead of metal ones to avoid issues at security. While some airlines may allow knitting needles, it’s best to check in advance.
4. Prepare for Different Environments
- Comfortable Seating: Bring a travel pillow or cushion for added comfort while knitting in less-than-ideal seating situations.
- Good Lighting: Pack a small, portable light (I like to use my booklight!) to ensure you have adequate lighting wherever you are.
(Here’s an environment I love to prepare for; beach knitting at Great Pond in Eastham, Massachusetts).
5. Maintain Your Knitting Routine
- Scheduled Knitting Time: If it’s appropriate for your trip, set aside specific times during your travel day to knit, such as during train rides, waiting times, or evenings.
- Consistency: Even if you can only knit for short periods, maintaining a consistent knitting routine can help you make steady progress.
6. Document Your Journey
- Travel Knitting Journal: Keep a small notebook to document your knitting projects, patterns, and thoughts about your travel experiences.
- Photography: Take photos of your knitting projects in interesting locations or with local landmarks as a fun way to remember your travels.
WHAT TO BRING? Deciding which Yarnalia yarns to take on your next knitting adventure can be daunting. I typically like to pack with the weather, trip duration, and trip’s purpose in mind. For my summer vacation in Massachusetts, I knew we would be spending at least eight hours in the car (traveling in both directions), I considered that I’d have some time to knit on the beach and have a little downtime to knit at our rental home once my kids went to sleep. I decided I wanted to work with a yarn that had the following attributes:
- Lightweight: knitting in warmer temperatures requires this!
- Easily packable: I had to pack for myself and two little children, so something that could be easily stashed in a small knitting bag was imperative!
- Durable: I wasn’t interested in knitting in a fragile or too-thin gauged yarn
- Machine Washable: A merino/ acrylic blend yarn was critical to bring– knitting on the beach while munching on a sandwich for lunch or any other potential spilling issues were off my mind. Wonder is one the best yarns for travel knitting as it is a yarn that can easily be laundered.
(Little stack of heaven; Yarnalia Wonder in Deep Blue)
The easy answer? Our Wonder yarn in Deep Blue. I was particularly thoughtful about color; with the season’s current fashion trends heavily focused on shades of denim, I wanted to knit with a color that would work well with my favorite jean fabrics in any hue.
As far as notions go, I like to keep it simple;
- Needles in the correct size
- Compact, packable pair of scissors
- A tapestry needle for weaving in ends
- A key to tighten my circular needle tips to their cord (if using)
- Consider bringing a crochet hook for fixing dropped stitches or small mistakes.
WHAT TO KNIT? As someone who typically has multiple projects on her needles, figuring out what to knit is the fun part! For a beach vacation, I found myself drawn to knitting lace. While lace knitting requires more concentration than other techniques, I wanted something that necessitated more focus and would ensure that I slowed down and truly savored knitting each stitch.
When I came across the Walkiria Kimono by Rachel Carson Hill, I knew it was the perfect transitional piece that would pair lovely with Wonder in Deep Blue. I could already picture it draped over me with casual outfits like my favorite denim cut-off shorts and a simple white tank or adding a soft-feminine touch to something a little more sophisticated, like a tailored denim dress. The Walkiria Kimono is incredibly versatile. It is a transition piece from season to season, working well as a beach cover-up in the summer and as a lightweight piece for fall and spring.
Close-up shots of the texture play of lace paneling in theWalkiria Kimono by Rachel Carson Hill)
Lightweight, breezy, and easily packed in a knitting bag, the Walkiria Kimono by Rachel Carson Hill in Wonder is a great project to take along on your next trip. Have your own easy knitting projects for travel that you’d like to share with us? Tag us @yarnalia and #createwithyarnalia so that we can see your creations!
