I took with me Knitting on the Road with the intention of making my first pattern from that book from start to finish. I've made hybrids before but never followed a pattern completely. I started on the long flight to Spain, with my comfort-zone needles, which I use to get my needles past airport security. I continued on the bus journeys slowly north, putting the two socks together to knit simultaneously on one circular needle. I used my Lorna's Laces yarn and knit the pattern Conwy. It was lovely to sit in Spanish cafes, enjoying gazpacho, sangria, and bread with olive oil, while knitting on my socks.
When I got to the heels, I separated the pair again and knit the heel on my Comfort Zone double points. I was still on the first sock, well past the heel but enjoying the progress I was making. When it was time to return, with 13 hours of airplane knitting ahead of me, the sock still on the circular needle went into my suitcase, and the sock on comfort zone double points went into my backpack.
At security in Madrid, I was required to unpack my entire backpack into one of those security tubs. Then they put my backpack, empty, through the x-ray, and then they put the tub filled helter-sketer full of my stuff through the x-ray. I watched him carrying off that tub, with my knitting bag perched precariously on top. He returned with the tub, said "Ok, thanks" and I stuffed everything back into my pack and continued. It wasn't until I was on the plane, reaching for my knitting, that I realized he hadn't returned my knitting to me. MY SOCK IS GONE.
I don't know if it was confiscated or it it just tumbled off my tub of stuff. You'd think if he confiscated it, he would have said something to me? I know he didn't speak English but my husband was there translating for me. So now my pretty yellow-and-blue bag is gone, my comfort zone size 2 needles are gone, one skein of Lorna's Laces is gone, and a nearly-finished sock is gone. gone! Gone! GONE!
Also, I did not purchase any yarn in Spain. Understand I was not there on a vacation in which I had any control. I was a chaperone, one of three, to 19 teenagers on a tour. I went where they went. I had free time and shopping time, but always in high-end swanky districts or touristy districts. I never saw anywhere to purchase yarn. I did have one free afternoon in Madrid, but it was on Sunday, and all stores except the giant chains and the touristy-mall were closed. At least in the places I was. I didn't really have the opportunity to strike out very far.
Lest this post sound too negative, I had a fabulous time in Spain, yarn-disasters notwithstanding. I have swum in the Mediterranean sea,
walked the narrow streets,
and seen some truly memorable sights.
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