Knitting on the Road

Helen and I are on the road for the next few weeks and we have knitting projects to bring along. I am leading a group of teachers on a Civil Rights tour in Alabama. We will have lots of time on the bus when knitting will be perfect. I decided to make a scarf out of a bamboo silk blend yarn, knit on circular needles. I cast it all on yesterday so I wouldn't have to do any thinking about knitting while on the go. Wonder if I'll finish it :)

Helen is going on a three-week concert tour through Canada and Vermont where she will be singing and fiddling. They begin at a lakeside retreat in Ontario where they learn the music, then they travel to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, then down into boring VT. She will be with 20 teens and three conductors/leaders --a Quebecois musician, a Bulgarian musician who now lives in London, and a musician from Georgia (as in the country). Much of the music will be in French. I have heard this group perform and they are phenomenal. I can't believe she got in.

She's a bit nervous about all this. It's her first big trip without us and her first big experience with a group of teens. I suggested she bring along some knitting as it is always a conversation starter and she can retreat into it if she's feeling shy --better than into her ipod :) She's also making a scarf (but out of "cool" yarn).

Of course, after we got her all packed, she informed me that her friend found a boyfriend because she was able to knit and he got talking to her. Hmm. Maybe I should reconsider this knitting thing for her.

On other crafting news...I made my first Ipad case. I am going to use my Ipad to show slides of "now and then" images on our Civil Rights tour. I used a piece of quilted upholstery material from my stash to give it some padding.

So, Helen and I are both off tomorrow--one of us south, one north. Poor Lou and Nels. They are feeling bereft. I have to say that I'm really glad I don't have to drop off Helen and say "goodbye." I know I'd cry. Thankfully, I leave before her.