pre-trip crazies

Confession: the knitting issue uppermost in my mind these days is what projects to take for summer traveling. I'll be away two months, in conditions from moderate to grungy, with severe space and weight limitations on what I can carry. The limitations argue for project(s) which grant a lot of knitting per unit mass of material. (Did someone say lace?) The conditions mandate taking something that won't be a tragic loss if it falls off a mountain, gets smooshed, or spit on by a llama. The itinerary demands that I take *something*, because as far as I know good yarn opportunities do not exist until the very end of the trip. (At which point I stock up on kilos of alpaca for the coming year).

The Frost Flowers shawl is totally, utterly entrancing to me. With the Count of Monte Cristo playing to my ears, and my fingers busy with those intricate leaves, I am as peaceful as it's possible to be this close to departure. However-- it's tiny tiny needles and precious silk-wool yarn in a light color. If I take it, I'll have to steel myself to possible disasters. I'll have to be willing to not care if it gets dusty and dirty. Big Blue O (the orenburg) may be a better candidate, because of its darker color and simpler construction. Still pretty tiny needles though. I think I will definitely take one of the last two shawl kits, the Peacock shawl or Summer in Kansas, because both take up relatively little space, I can use slightly bigger needles (maybe even 3's?), and the colors are not ones I care about. It's not that I don't like them, but I don't think I'll wear them myself; one is a sort of mauve, the other is silvery grey. They would be perfect for my mother and stepmother respectively, so I'll think I'll make those shawls to give away. Somehow that eases my mind about the possibility of loss or accident.

Maybe some plain-knit socks. Because they needn't be patterned, so I don't have to concentrate, and they are small and packable, and immediately useable once finished. If only I could find non-metal needles for magic looping so I could take them on the plane. I've sworn off bamboo needles smaller than 2s or 3s, since breaking several #1 circs. Is it possible to magic loop with plastic? Do they even make plastic #1 circulars?