How many stitches to Parry Sound?

I am a car knitter. I knit in the car while my husband drives...what were you thinking? (I've seen those people putting on their makeup while they drive and it scares the bejeezus out of me.)

I would love to hook in the car, but hooking equipment takes up too much space. I'd probably have to sit in the back to do that, though I must confess I have never tried. My good friend Elaine has hooked on a plane, so I guess it can be done. But probably not on my gripper frame.

I have never been able to just sit. I always have to be doing something in addition to sitting. I knit or hook in front of the television. So car knitting is just an evolution. And it's a very productive way to use time that would otherwise be spent just sitting.

Some people are car readers. I can't do that, without getting an upset tummy. I guess it's that type jumping all around that does it. Knitting is as much tactile as visual. I can feel my way along without looking, and that doesn't upset my tummy at all.

For my car knitting, I pick easy patterns that don't need a lot of attention. And in a few trips, voila - a new garment. I even knit in the city on the trips to and from work, especially when traffic is bad. The benefit of an easy pattern is that you don't have to watch the knitting. You can sight-see and knit at the same time. That's productive multi-tasking if ever there was.

I have met several other car knitters. We all seem to choose socks, scarves or drop-dead easy sweaters. Afghans would be good too, but on a hot day, that bulk in your lap wouldn't be so great. But a great winter idea!

I like seeing the reactions of people in the next lane. They often do a double take. I remember one time, the driver next to me smiled and pointed to his wife, who saluted me with her needles. We are definitely out there in droves (no pun intended).

This weekend, I finished a Sally Melville pattern. I have knit it once before - the first time not in the car. This sweater is a white cotton tunic that knit up very differently than the original. I have a feeling this won't fit at all like the first one either. It's a much heftier yarn and I hope it doesn't look like it was fashioned by Omar the tent maker, since there are a number of hours and kilometers in this sweater. And I did do a tension check, I swear.

So, here's to car knitting. And a sweater in approximately 2,500 km. Not bad!
Picture to follow, unless Omar was the designer. If so, I'll just ravel it back and car knit another masterpiece.