Packing light is very hard

We’re going off on a road trip in a couple weeks, and I get basically one crafting project. Because even though we have a minivan which should be big enough to hold everything, we’re going to be gone for two weeks, and we need to pack some supplies in the part of the car where people sit. So everyone gets one shoebox-worth of space for activities, and one small bag for books. 

Activities means everything that isn’t a book or an electronic device. I already know I need a notebook (or more than one), at least one set of colored pens (because I can’t live without colored pens), a deck of cards and some dice (because you never know when you’ll need them), and a few other small things. That means I have to minimize the space my yarn takes up, while maximizing the amount of time I want to spend on this project. 

I don’t know what I want to do yet. So I started listing constraints and criteria. I’m going to share those today, since that’s what’s on my mind. 

Constraints — must haves

1. Has to fit in a shoebox, around everything else. This rules out anything with more than maybe two balls of yarn, and it has to be fairly small. 
2. Has to last the whole two weeks. We might stop at a yarn store where we’re going, but if we don’t, then I still need to be okay on yarn. 
3. Has to be interesting enough (aka complex enough) that I can be basically project-monogamous for two weeks. So it has to be something more than straight double crochet or something else that bores me after a bit. 
4. Has to be easy to stop in the middle. We’ll be stopping to sightsee sometimes, and so I need to be able to put it down and pick it up again without ruining it. 

Things I would like but aren’t must haves — like-to-haves 

1. I’d like to limit the amount of time I’ve got the pattern open. I don’t want to have to constantly check the pattern when I’m working, after the first few rows. 
2. I’d like to be able to ‘read’ my work to see where I am. This follows from the previous thing, but it’s technically separate because ‘reading’ the work means being able to tell where you have been. It does not require being able to see where you are going, even though that’s usually the case. 
3. I’d like it if I didn’t have to bring too many notions (stitch markers, scissors, needles, etc). I’m going to bring some, obviously, but I want to limit the number of things falling between the seats of the car and getting lost in the void. 
4. I want to be able to do other things while I crochet, like read or listen to an audiobook. This is probably the easiest thing to meet, so I’m not too worried about this one. 

Criteria — how will I judge it

1. Will it fit in the space I have, without too much effort? 
2. Can it hold my interest for two weeks, on its own?
3. Will the yarn be alright with being squished and being in abrasive containers for a while? Is the yarn going to be ruined if it gets dirty?
4. Does it need a lot of attention to work the project?
5. Can I start it ahead of time?
6. Is the pattern free, or else attainable for my budget? Can I use stash yarn?
7. Is it going to fit in my lap when I’m working on it?
8. Is it forgiving if I make a mistake?
9. Do I think it’ll be fun?
10. Do I actually want the final project?

 Other things

I’ve been skimming Ravelry every chance I get to see if there’s anything good there. I haven’t found anything yet, but I have an idea for a cardigan using the leftovers from my Hand Sown shawl (pictures of that coming soonish). I have two balls of Loops and Threads Woolike left, in Golden Yellow. It’s fingering weight, which might be fun. 

I have a similar set of criteria for books, but with all the stuff about holding interest replaced by “do I like it? Can I read it more than once in two weeks and still like it?” Though books are less critical because I have digital library books that I can read if I need more to read. 

I have half an idea about a car-ride rpg, but it may not go anywhere. I’m bringing dice anyways.