One Round-Trip Drive to Boston = 2 Hats + 3 Coffee Cozies

The house is quiet, and I'm trying not to eat.  There must be millions who relate to that simple compulsion.  And so I write...

I recently drove to and from Boston with some friends to see Hillsong United.  I have always loved road trips, but these days I don't "sit" very well.  Life has left me with too much to ponder, and pondering can take me to places I don't always want to go.  Reading in the car usually results in a sore tummy, but what else can be done while chit-chatting away on a long drive?  You guessed it...  CROCHET!  Yes, my new-found obsession is the perfect way to pass the time, keeping my hands and mind sufficiently occupied.

The "right" side of Dave's hat.

I chose two simple patterns so that I could still participate in lively conversation.  I had promised Dave (my dear hubby) a hat quite a while ago, and this was the perfect time to fulfill that promise.  He wasn't keen on the hat pattern I made for my brother Sean for his birthday, even without the pom-pom, so I chose a simple single-crochet pattern instead.  I decided to only crochet through the back-loops, which made the hat reversible with two really neat sides to choose from.  If Dave didn't like one side (which he didn't), he could wear the other!

The "wrong" side of Dave's hat, and also his favorite.

I wasn't sure how long it would take to make Dave's hat, but using Lion Brand Thick & Quick yarn and a size N hook, his hat was done by the time we drove out of Bangor!  I was so glad I had brought that second pattern and additional yarn because....  I got to make MYSELF a hat.  My first ever "for me" item!  I can't tell you how excited I was.  I have a few purchased knit items, and since I have started knitting myself, I am often asked if I made them.  Now I'll be able to proudly say YES!

The pattern I used is the same one I made for Sean, but this time I chose to spiral the ribbing, the effect of which is just too cool for words and also added a distinctly feminine touch.  I finished off my hat with a few rows of single-crochet, and voila!  My new hat.  :)

My Hat!

At this point, we were on the drive home, but were by no means home yet.  And I had a bit of yarn left over.  Hmmmmmm.....  I hadn't brought any other patterns, and there really wasn't that much yarn.  What could be done?  Boston Road Trip Coffee Cozies!  Of course we had a coffee cup in the car, so I just fiddled around a bit until I had made the first prototype.  Follow that up with two more, and I'd say that was one very productive road trip.  And we still had driving time left!

Road trips provide an excellent opportunity for self-discovery, but let's face it.  There's only so much we really want to know about ourselves.  So the moral of this road trip story is to bring your hook, and LOTS of yarn!  You'll be glad you did.