JoJo is so happy that the weather is (occasionally) warm enough for knitting photoshoots out on the patio again. (She really does just pose contentedly whenever I get out my knitting and my camera.) And me? I’m just happy to be able to knit agin!

As you can see, I have finally climbed on board the Hitchhiker bandwagon!

I’ve been threatening to do so for years now . . . but finally made my move the day before I was leaving for my California trip. I wanted to bring something to knit that was highly portable AND involved an easy-to-memorize pattern . . . and the Hitchhiker seemed to be a perfect option.

So I contacted Bonny (Hitchhiker Knitter Extraordinaire!) for some Pro Tips. She advised me on all manner of Hitchhiker Making: yardage hints, needle size suggestions, the optimum number of “teeth” for a long-and-drapey fit, how to throw in some eyelet rows for interest/good measure, and The Ultimate Pro Tip . . .  using your own stitches to count your rows with a perfectly placed marker.

I got started with my First Ever Hitchhiker before leaving for the airport . . . and then never picked it up again during my entire trip. (Which tends to be how I roll. I read while traveling; I almost never knit. But I’m always comforted by having a project with me, y’know . . . just in case.)

But now that I’m home again – and now that I can actually knit again – I am off to the races! I can see why this pattern is so popular. It’s entertaining to knit, it’s a great way to show off a pretty skein of yarn, and it’s a perfect project to pick up and then put down again as needed.

So thanks, Bonny, for all the Hitchhiker inspiration over the years — AND for those Pro-Tips! I’m off to a great start and happy to be ON the bandwagon now . . . instead of just watching the Hitchhiker Parade from the sidelines.

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How about you? What are you making this week?