Kat with a K

The travelling knitter

I'm usually a pretty stay-at-home kind of girl, but more or less on a whim I'm finding myself with a few trips coming up in the next few weeks. (Of course, my "whims" are what other people might call "something they'd thought about for months." I'm trying to be less neurotic, really.) Trip #1 is a weekend in New York City with my boyfriend, celebrating my birthday. Trip #2 is a week at the Jersey Shore with my parents and brother. I'm realizing that there are several things to consider in planning these trips:

1. The obvious: what projects to bring? I'll want a variety: different sizes, difficulty levels, required concentration, etc. For New York, it'll probably be socks for the train/lines/etc. and probably one other thing... Branching Out, maybe? The week at the beach is harder. For concentration-heavy, relaxing in the hotel knitting, I'm thinking the Baltic Sea Stole and Leaf Lace Shawl. Socks for on the go, certainly. Perhaps the Ruffles scarf for the car on the way there and back? (Not too big, interesting but not too hard.) Maybe a baby blanket for mindless TV/reading knitting? Hmmmm. Suggestions? How much is enough? Imagine running out of knitting during the one week I have all the free time I want!

2. Knitting on the beach: the ultimate in relaxation or Just Stupid? I'm picturing sand in my knitting. But it sounds kind of fun, and other people have mentioned doing so, so... let's have a vote. Arguments for and against?

3. Where are the yarn stores? The other obvious one. I have a whole list of stores in NYC, but I'll have to plot everything out on a map and see what's near the hotel or other places we're going. Anyone have shop recommendations in NYC or the Jersey Shore (specifically the Wildwood area)?
3a. Getting to the yarn stores. This is complicated by the fact that we'll all be sharing a car. How best to bribe convince a 15-year-old boy that he wants to spend the afternoon looking at yarn? Maybe it would be easier to send him to the beach and take the car for the afternoon. Hmmm.

4. To blog or not to blog? Should I try to post while away, or just wait? The NYC trip is just overnight so I won't worry about that. But the beach trip is for a week. Perhaps I'll try to find a local cyber cafe. Should I bring my laptop? Hmmm. (Yes, I'm saying "Hmm" a lot. Sorry.)

5. Preparing for every eventuality. What should I put in my knitting kit to be ready for any and all knitting emergencies/new projects to start? Tape measure, stitch markers, needle for weaving in ends, crochet hook for catching stitches... what else?