Well, it’s that time again. Time for me to make my groggy way to the airport first thing tomorrow morning, knitting bag in tow to keep my hands occupied during those tense take-offs, landings and dull layovers. I was running the list of all the bits and bobs I still need to shove into my suitcase tonight when I realized that I haven’t actually picked a project for the trip! All these knitting needles without a stitch of yarn keeping them cozy. That was a problem for about three seconds until I remembered the Fightin’ Words mitts pattern that I had been coveting since I saw the samples arrive in the mail here at the office a few months ago. I’m serious! I got so excited when I saw them and even did the little “excited-wavy-hands-in-the-air” dance and immediately tried them on.

I love that they are small, portable, quick and that the pattern looks pretty easy to work with: all things that I look for in a travel project. Plus, I might even finish them in time to wear them on the return flight home (my hands always get a wee bit too cold on planes). To top it all off, the tip-of-the-hat to old-school comic strips really tickles my inner nerd. I’m actually grinning a happy little grin as I type this!

I know many knitters who swear by a nice, basic sock pattern for flights and others who preferto work their way through their mending basket. What do you like to tote with you as you explore? Are their some projects you like to do in the car vs. plane vs. train?