How do YOU pack?

Tomorrow I'll be at my daughter's in NY! And I've picked the stuff that I need to pack with me. Not only have I been doing a truck load of knitting to bring along with me, but having a 'secret' Christmas item that's in the bag in the middle of the picture under the Beribboned Sweater using HUGE skeins of Hobby Lobby's I Love this Yarn! makes for great packing material in a suitcase.

Why do I need so much coosh? Well, there are six bottles that need to be protected.

Do you think this will work with the 'suitcase inspectors at the airport? The last time I packed these, in fact the last two times, they took the soft stuff packed around the bottles, and moved the bottles into the lower corner of the suitcase. HOW they didn't break...is beyond me. I understand and agree that safety is key one. HOWEVER, where is the respect for our personal items after they've gone through them? grrrrrrrrrrr....anyway...

Daughter owes me. I have 6 of these to be delivered tomorrow, providing the 'you know who's' going through the suitcase tomorrow don't cause them to be placed in a bad place. On second thought,...I think I'll add extra layers of more bubble wrap before I zip up the suitcases for the last time. It couldn't hurt. Right?

The past two days, I knit up a few more coffee sleeves for Mom and Dad. Yes, I'm packing them to bring with, too. I thought they 'd get a kick out of receiving an envelop from NY, rather than CA. Dad asked me the other day if I could make him some new ones, they can't find the ones from last Christmas that I'd sent to them. I started thinking of all their good hiding places, and called him back, and he said every one that I mentioned, they'd already looked. Now, how can you NOT quickly pull out your wool and knit up a few more? It's it great to have your knitting appreciated? Recently, on the Knit List, the topic came up of people nearly demanding that you make things for them. Here was my final thought on the subject....

"....Think about it...right now I'm remaking coffee cup sleeves for my dad. I gave him some for Christmas to use because even the paper kind still kept the cup too hot for him to handle. He LOVES his coffee time with his friends when they go mall walking in the morning. However, they can't figure out where they put theirs recently.

Now, I'm knitting them 2 at a time on the needles. Each has a cast on of 20 stitches (x2=40) and 80 rows. 40 x 80 = 3, 200 stitches for a tiny project. How many stitches would an afghan or a sweater cost you? That's a whole lot of time for people who don't care to show respect or appreciate the time involved. I say...teach them that you have value for your time and skills and talents when it comes to your knitting.

You can knit for a variety of reasons, to show care, love and concern...or to make pretty things. You certainly aren't knitting so someone can take advantage of your abilities. They don't like it...or appreciate it...let alone don't even say THANK YOU? Well....forget them..they're off the list. There are plenty more who understand how precious your knitting truly is. Stick to them. (And that should include you, too!)after all...it's supposed to be-----ready?

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Happy knitting!"