The making of The Journey Collection

Now all three patterns are out, I can officially introduce The Journey collection. Inspired by long travelling days and the transition seasons of fall and spring, these three patterns are the perfect small project to take out and about with you, as well as the perfect one-skein project to use those special, souvenir skeins you purchase from local yarn stores on your travels.

I travel a lot, especially over the last five years while I’ve been living in Canada and frequently travelling back to the UK to visit friends and family. Even more so this year when James and I (The Travelling Bean) decided to quit our jobs and travel the world for nine months.

The Journey is a collection of three patterns that are the perfect small knitting projects to take with you on vacation, commutes and general day to day activities.  The stitch repeats are very simple, meaning you won’t have to think about it too much, meaning you can sit back and enjoy the view, in-flight entertainment…or wherever you are in the world!

The inspiration for this collection started in December 2022, when I was about to take a 9-hour flight from Vancouver to London.  I wanted to design a simple project I’d be able to do during the flight.

I’m someone who can suffer from travel sickness, from winding roads to boats, it sometimes doesn’t take much for me to feel nauseous.  As a result, I knew I needed a stitch pattern that was simple, while still giving a stylish look. 

Along with a simple stitch pattern, I wanted designs that were evergreen, so they could be made and worn for years to come. 

Both The Journey Hat and The Journey Cowl are made with DK weight yarn from Juniper Moon Farm. I great, lightweight wool that does a great job of keeping you warm as the colder mornings and evenings draw in.  The socks are fingering weight yarn, Cascade Heritage sock yarn.  

All three patterns are knit inside out, with the main bodies being a combination of stockinette stitches and slipped stitches. So although they may look like a lot of purl stitches, they are not at all! Even better right?

The gift-giving season that is Christmas is also creeping up on us. All three of these patterns are quick knits if you are looking to gift some handmade items.

Let’s take a quick look at each pattern:

The Journey Hat

The Journey hat, once made, is a great knitwear accessory to take with you on your travels.  As it’s made with DK-weight yarn, it’s lightweight and small enough to take up minimal space in your luggage.  Perfect for early morning walks, the pattern is adjustable in depth. If you wanted to create a folded brim, it’s easily achievable by doubling the length of the ribbing at the beginning of the pattern.  Find the pattern details here: The Journey Hat pattern.

The Journey Cowl

As above, the Cowl is another lightweight and small accessory,easily stored in a bag just in case it is needed while you are out for the day. 

The Cowl pattern is one size, for adults, but could be adjusted as long as you take into account the stitch pattern repeat. 

Given the weight and drape of the fabric you can pull this up over your face and ears if the temperature drops, or adjust down where it’s only a bit cooler.

Find the pattern details here: The Journey Cowl

The Journey Socks

The Journey Socks are knit in one long job, before adding a peasant heel after you have grafted the toe stitches together. You could even work just on the sock tubes while travelling, coming back to the slightly more fiddle heels when you’re back from your trip. 

Made with fingering weight yarn, they are versatile enough to wear with sandals (if you dare to be as trendy as me!) just as well as boots.  Light enough for the warmer weather, but keep your feet one while in your hotel room. 

Find the pattern details here: The Journey Socks

As you can see, these have all been great projects for me on my travels this year (2023). I think the pattern I will keep returning to the most is The Journey Socks., because I love making socks so much! All the patterns in the collection are such a great way to use those souvenir skeins I have bought on my travels too. I hope I’ve given you some inspiration for your next trip!

Which one are you excited to make? Let me know where you’ll be making these patterns! 

See the collection in my Etsy store

See the collection on Ravelry