Monday, August 10, 2015

Travel Gives Me Room to Stitch

Photo from Death to the Stock Photography
More than a couple of people told me they can't get stitching done when they are on a trip (in reference to my recent vacation). But I look forward to vacation for a handful of reasons, chief among them more stitching time.

When I'm on vacation, I don't have to cook; I don't have to clean; I don't have to walk the dog. These don't take up a lot of time every evening, but they do take up some of it. I walk the dog in the evenings (the dude's on morning shift) and that can eat up an hour easily, after I've cooked dinner. I don't do a lot of cleaning (we have a housekeeper) but the laundry, the inside of the refrigerator, making sure things are where they belong...these things eat up time, and even worse, mental energy.

I don't have any other to-dos on the list. The volunteering, the meetings, the random appointments vanish. Instead, I have stitching time. When we travel, we rarely make many plans for events that happen after dinner. We're like reverse vampires: the sun goes down and we need to be hiding in our rooms!

I can stitch on a plane. I know there are a lot of people who don't like to stitch on planes which are dirty and cramped and ill-lit. I have no problem stitching any project on a plane. I try not to worry about dirt I can't see. I sit with the dude, who has spent 24 years on the other end of the couch from my stitching. He knows needles sometimes fly at him. (I've never hit him. Not once.)

I can stitch in the car. This is a bit of a gift. I know a lot of people find doing things in the car queasy-making, but I was the kid who could read in the car (and did). Whether we're in for a seven hour journey (to Maine) or just shooting over to Sissy's house (45 minutes) I take advantage of this time.

So you can see that travel does give me extra stitching time. And since vacation is supposed to be about relaxation, there's got to be stitching.

What I'm still no good at is estimating how long any project will take me. 

17 comments:

Beth said...

Stitching in a car, plane, train - it's all great stitching time for sure!

Karen said...

I envy you being able to stitch in a car. I can stitch on a plane if I have a window seat.

Pamela said...

I always bring stitching with me on a trip. I bring three projects, even on a weekend trip, because I need choices. I stitch on the plane and while waiting at the airport. This past weekend, we had a three hour ferry ride (each way) and I stitched most of the that time. Unfortunately, I can't stitch (or read) in the car.

I'm not good at estimating how long things will take either. They always take longer, much longer, that I think they will!

Linda said...

Your lucky that you can stitch anywhere Nikki. I'm one of the queasy ones.

Linda

Needle Nicely said...

I think everyone is overoptimistic about how much time will be involved in stitching a project. Somehow we never seem to factor in those interruptions that life inflicts upon us.

Caroline said...

I'm always happy to have enforced stitching time. I like to knit in the car because I have trouble with the fine work when it's a bit bumpy. Projects take as long as they take. I'm usually much more enamoured of the process rather than the finish. :-)

Julie said...

Stitching and perhaps some knitting are the first things I pack!

KimM said...

I'm with you! When I travel, stitching is my constant companion.
xxx

D1-D2 said...

I love the travelling and always can't wait to get on a plane, but can't relax on them. Since I've started stitching it has really helped pass the time, except when they dim all the lights on Trans-Atlantic flights trying to force you to sleep :|

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Yep, I love stitching in the car (not in Michigan as our roads are the worst in the country) and in planes, too. I always think a project will take me far less time than it actually does!

Bea said...

I'm one of those that can't stitch in a car, but I've plyed my needle in planes, trains, buses and on ferries.

I'm no good at estimating the time either - I'm always overly optimistic!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I can stitch on the train and that's where I used to do most of my stitching. But definitely not in a car, I can't even look at a map for long without feeling queasy.

We stayed in a caravan last year and I did get quite a lot done in the evenings then. Partly because the Small Boy wasn't going to sleep until midnight!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

ps did you write the little Dear Europe thingie about cookies at the bottom of your blog? Or is that an auto thing? I like it! More than the annoying "got it" thing which keeps appearing at the top of every blummin blog I read!

Beth W said...

I'm one of those who gets sick when I stitch in a car, and I spread out when I stitch so a plane makes me cramped- I envy your stitch adaptability! And I'm not sure anyone can accurately estimate how long a project will take (stitching or otherwise)! Seems like it's always longer than expected.

Robin in Virginia said...

Train or plane are not a problem, but can't stitch in the car. I can read in the car. I do take several projects with me that way I have a choice.

Robin in Virginia

Margaret said...

Isn't that the truth? I can never get it right estimating how long something will take me to stitch! You are sooooo lucky that you can stitch in the car. Not me. My kids can read in the car, but not me. Sigh.....

Angela Mier said...

I stitch in the car too. We traveled to 5 states this summer with our son's travel baseball team & I got plenty of projects done!