Checking in my carry-on

I'm packed and ready to go for my trip. Everything fits in one roll-on bag and my tote. It all weighs a ton, because half of what I am packing is paper. Brilliant me went to the Martin Luther King center and bought books (hardback), reproductions of his "I Have a Dream" and "I Have Been to the Mountaintop" speeches, postcards, and bookmarks. All paper, all dense, all heavy. I also packed 4 or 5 totebags with my workplaces's logo on it. Cotton canvas, also heavy.

However, I not need to worry about hoisting this boulder into the overhead compartment, because it will be checked in. I have not managed to make all my liquids, creams, lotions, etc. fit in one quart-size ziptop bag so they must be checked in. Plus, the European Union limits carry-ons to 22 inch tall bags (including handles and wheels) and mine is 24 inches. So close, yet so far away.

Anyway, to the exciting part that everyone's been waiting for -- my knitting projects.
First, I am taking 3 skeins of black Cascade 220 to work on Husband's basketweave afghan. I had packed 2 skeins of blue yarn, but he didn't like that shade. So, we will go shopping for yarn when I get back.
Second, one ball of laceweight yarn from KnitPicks. It's variegated red, pink, and yellow, and I plan to knit a fichu with it, or maybe another Argosy scarf, or maybe a drop stitch scarf.
Third, I will add one skein of something, probably the yellow or purple Malabrigo yarn, to make a hat with. I have the Calorimetry which is essentially a wide, wide wide headband, but it doesn't cover the back of the head.

What is a fichu? Glad you asked. It's a little triangle shaped scarf that ladies used to drape around their neck and tuck into the front of their neckline. The dresses had such low necklines, all that skin was exposed to the cold. This would be a great chance to finally knit something lace, with all the books I've collected. I may use the triangular Feather and Fan pattern in Folk Shawls. It works from the top center, right at the neck, and then builds out from there, so I can stop whenever I need to.

So while I should probably think about wrapping up stuff at work, including an audit and grant proposal, and a pending staff meeting that should start right now, I am writing about my knitting. And this is why I knit -- to keep the stress at bay, and to have pretty things to wear.