It's cold in Boston and as much as I brought my sewing supplies, it didn't occur to me to pack some fabric bits. How clever! Refashioning one of the six t-shirts I packed immediately reduces my wearables to only five. Have I mentioned that I travel light because there are washing machines everywhere?
Luckily, what's easily available where I am here is wool of all weights and colors. When I was a kid I used to knit. Complicated stuff. With math and counting and paying lots of attention. But I have to be alone for that, because I'm easily distracted. Social hand craft is better for me. Therefore I've started to crochet and make only the simplest things. Like these hand-warmers.
You go all the way around and just leave a slit for the thumb.
They were the perfect project to bring to the birthday party. You sit and talk, make a stitch or two and enjoy a cup of tea. Minimal counting, no math. I did this after hanging the time line heart garland, which was a great success. It stretched across the entire room and we encouraged the guests to place important and relevant events on the timeline, which they did.
The time line was almost twice as long as pictured above.
It's always a challenge to make something on the road. But whenever I do, whatever I make is usually very special, because it holds a memory of a place. These will always be my Boston hand-warmers and will remind me of a grey cold New England afternoon every time I wear them.
Do you make things "on the road" or do your creative projects come to a screeching halt?
I try, I really do try. But usually whatever I'm trying to work on gets snowed under - slips of paper with a few interesting words for one child to make up stories around, slips of paper with sums for another one, dropped felttips/drawings/little dolls for the third. Which I suppose, at a push, you could also call creative..?
ReplyDelete(And to be honest, I also loooove looking at what we're driving/riding through. So all of the above is just an excuse, really..!)
I admire you! I can't really make things when I travel. Idecided long ago to focus on a small travel diary when I travel, but for the rest I am simply too keyed up and energised to focus on handcraft projects. I want to SEE and DO all the time. (That is probably because I do not get to travel often.)
ReplyDeleteLooks like a wonderful party and the handwarmers look good as well!
ReplyDeleteNo, I hardly make a thing while on a trip, I'm afraid of losing bits, and knitting and crocheting on the plane is a no-no these days - knitting needles are dangerous!!!, so my activity while away is reading. Which I do all the time anyway.
It's terrific to be as productive as you are!
i love that heart timeline. so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathrin! I love how you used a "Best of" magazine layout for a photo background. Great styling, even on the road! Before I was married and a mom, I would sometimes make sketches if we were traveling in a special/new place. I brought a gluestick to Boston thinking I could collage a postcard with found objects and send it to G's grandparents, but it never happened! Still like the idea, though...maybe another time. : )
ReplyDeleteLove your thoughts on that. I only make things in the waiting moments of travels (and even then I do love to take in the "scenery" therefore no counting for me). Love the idea to integrate paper a bit more. Making a travel journal (which I usually don't do) and the postcard idea are marvelous. And yeah, I agree that it's pretty hard to "make" on the road.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration!
I like to have my hands busy so I try and take simple knitting projects with me when I travel that are easy to pick up and put down.
ReplyDeleteWent to San Antonio a few weeks ago. Crocheted two sets of pot holders, and a dishcloth. Love those hand warmers. Is that your pattern?
ReplyDeleteAnother idea while you are traveling, write yourself a little paragraph everyday of your travel experience, of something interesting that you saw ,and details about it, you will be so happy when you get home. You won't have to say to hubby, remember that ........ where was that again and when did we see that? I always do it, and save it too, and it is a great way to collect a yournal of your travels. Best rita
ReplyDeletenow I need to make hand warmers.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your thoughtful comments. Kids remind us every day to not take anything for granted.
ReplyDeleteAs for a pattern for the hand-warmers, I just cast on 26 stitches and went all around (about 20 rounds) until the thumb opening. I stitch into the back loop, and turned them inside out when I was finished. It gives it a nice pattern. For the thumb opening, just make 4 (depending on the wool you are using) single crochets, leave the next 4 loops aside and stitch into the 5th back loop. Another 8 rounds or so, and you have some nice hand-warmers. Turn inside out, if you like that pattern better and you're done. I didn't have a pattern, but experimented while I was making them. They turned out well and I've made 3 pairs so far, each a bit improved than the last.
Hope this helps.