At work lately I’ve been doing mostly proposals, sales pitches, powerpoint presentations and marketing materials. It got me to thinking about all the cheesy things people say and all the silly abbreviations they make up when trying to sell something, and well, since I haven’t had much time to knit I thought I’d make up this post instead.
In our busy world we’re always striving to find time savers and shortcuts. As a value-added service to my readers I’ve compiled this short list of suggestions.
Use them in good health.
Ahhh the open road. The fresh air. The blue skies. The radio tuned to your favorite station. The peaceful hum of the engine motoring along.
I’m sure many of you have taken road trips and knitted while someone else drives. It’s a great, relaxing way to spend the time. Small projects like socks and mittens are portable, lightweight, and afford you with plenty of opportunity for conversation and sight-seeing.
But it doesn’t have to end there. With just a few simple steps you too can expand your Knitting on the Road opportunities to include times when you don’t have someone else to take on the driving responsibility.
Yarn storage and placement A clear zip-top bag is recommended for safe transport and to maximize placement opportunities. We recommend placing the bag by simply dropping it on the floor of the driver’s side to allow for the yarn to feed in from the left side.
Keeping the project in waiting on the passenger seat ensures a rapid implementation opportunity (RIO).
Traffic Jams be Damned Beginning KOTRers will often start with the simplest form of KOTR — knitting while in a traffic jam. Once reserved for only the major accident or weather event, we recommend expanding your knitting time by considering KOTR while at a traffic light, waiting for school kids to cross the road, or anytime you find yourself approaching 0 mph.
Implementing these opportunities afford you with the chance to learn new ways to hold your knitting. When unexpectedly faced with moving traffic mid-row, simply slip the needles toward the center (2 inches per needle is advised), criss cross the needles, and secure them with your thumb and forefinger. If you don’t have time to gingerly place the item on the passenger seat, simply steer with your middle, ring and pinky fingers, as depicted above.
You may be asking yourself if this is a safe practice. We here at savannahchikKnits ask you — is this any less safe than driving over the speed limit?
Endless Ingenious Exploration of Impactful Opportunities (EIEIO) Think out of the box! Filling up at the pump and waiting in a drive thru line provide seconds — if not minutes — of knitting time per event.
Manual Transmission Woes? No more! With a few simple steps we’ll have you KOTR to your full potential in no time.
While waiting at a red light always keep it in first gear so you can react at a moment’s notice.
And, while driving in stop-and-go traffic, avoid shifting when at all possible. Ride the clutch, and even start in second gear.
As an added bonus, your left leg muscles will develop more, and you’ll be better at starting the car on snow.
And for the true road warrior, there’s K70. That’s right, with a little practice you too can be knitting while driving over the speed limit. We recommend proper following distance and being able to knit while not looking at or touching the yarn. With concentrated effort you should be able to master this skill in a matter of moments a day.
Safety is always our primary concern here at savannahchik knits. We recommend you briefly put down the needles and speed past any vehicles exhibiting signs such as the ones above.
We’re excited to share this opportunity with you and look forward to hearing your great progress.
Knit on!
What a great post!
I will admit to some of the practices you’re talking about above, but I haven’t worked out the level of efficiency you’ve described! You’ve got this down to a science!
Finally some proven documentation. I thought I was the only one. I think we need a support group. KAA anyone?
Where do you live?
There is a KOTR KAL just starting. You could knit socks from the book while you’re KOTR, too. Oh nevermind…they’re all top down;-)
It would certainly explain a lot of the driving maneuovers I see ’round here….
Um, I do everything EXCEPT knit while the car is in motion. Knitting continental (dahling) allows for maximum use of each stop light and traffic jam!
Thanks for validating my existence!
Thanks for the Friday afternoon giggle!
And you b*tch about us minivan driving moms that go too fast.
Holy Crap, J – this is about the scariest thing I have ever read. You’ve obviously never seen sober, attentive, calm drivers in North Carolina – because if you knew how bad they sucked in that state of mind, you would never advocate knitting, too! Ha ha – this was a hysterical post.
I knit in the car all the time. In fact I was about to post about how much knitting I got done waiting in two drive thrus today. You’re just supposed to sit there and be bored when it’s a red light? At least you don’t have to watch your knitting to knit, I see lots of people reading in their cars. Not to mention being distracted by a cell phone.
Thanks for remembering us knitters who drive stick shifts!
Hey, have you been following me?? I do all that except knit while actually driving! But stop lights, drive throughs, I’ll be knitting away…
YOU are too funny. And I have been known to knit at stoplights. But only once, er twice…
too funny!
Ha Ha! I usually have knitting in the passenger seat for drive thru’s, the bank, and the gas station. Now I have a name for it, it is my EIEIO knitting! Love it!
Now that I have an automatic I think my knitting while driving time has greatly increased. Thanks for a great post!
I knit about a dozen hats for charity this winter … most of which were knitted while driving to work, stopped in traffic because of the bottlenecks created by the gigantic snowbanks that took up half the road! My husband will be horrified to know that there are many others out there who also practice KOTR.
Oh my goodness. I thought I was the only one! Thank you for validating my behavior to my friends and family who gawk in horror when I let news of my “habit” slip. My biggest fear is getting pulled over for speeding and not having enough time to stash the knitting. What do I do then? Offer the cop a pair of hand-knit socks as a bribe?
i have been guilty of knitting in the car …. but mostly shotgun. though, my mom will not let me knit in the car, passenger side even, because she has airbags. if you’re rear-ended in that bumper to bumper traffic, will an airbag release? it’s just something nasty to think about, when i’m working on size 1 metal dpns. OUCH.
i have been guilty of knitting in the car …. but mostly shotgun. though, my mom will not let me knit in the car, passenger side even, because she has airbags. if you’re rear-ended in that bumper to bumper traffic, will an airbag release? it’s just something nasty to think about, when i’m working on size 1 metal dpns. OUCH.