ROAD TRIP ::: the inspiration for a new collection

Emily and I have been busy ladies this year. We brought two new babies into the world, Max and Bodhi (destined to be some sort of crime fighting duo with names like those), and we have been working on another baby, our fifth book, Road Trip: 14 knits inspired by the open road.

Read about our inspirations for this book, our traditions and our adventures, and check out a sneak preview of the delicious knits.  We are launching the book very soon… hop on our email list and we’ll let you know when it’s ready!

::: roadtrips – a family tradition :::

I have always loved a good road trip. I think this love of the road dates back to family road trips we took when I was small.  That’s me, peeking out of the back of our VW Van on my first camping trip in the Rocky Mountains. Hopping in the car with my parents, and not much later my brothers, there was a sense of adventure and endless possibilities. I would band together with my siblings, friends for the trip, and get to know my parents in a different light. Memorable conversations, sights, and experiences were guaranteed.

::: roadtripping in search of adventure :::

Emily is a woman of great adventure. She has taken many journeys across and around North America, by bus, car, and bicycle. She knows how to choose the best bicycle and she loves to head out into the hills with nothing but the pack on her back and always returns feeling refreshed and re-energized. Road trips are an excellent opportunity to go off the beaten path, venture out into the unknown, and to challenge yourself in new ways. They offer a chance to re-connect with yourself and think outside the box. You return home with a different perspective on life and renewed enthusiasm for projects… knitting or otherwise!

Emily took her most adventurous road trip when she was 19.  She had finished her second year of university and had a job lined up in San Francisco.  After an all-night party, friends dropped her at the Greyhound bus station, and with flowers in her hair she embarked on a non-stop journey from Toronto to California.  Reading Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’, and inspired by his example, Em ate nothing for the next three days but apple pie and ice cream in the truckstops where the bus paused. She washed her hair in bus station washrooms and attempted to sleep scrunched into a little ball as the bus rocked its way across the country.  When they hit the desert, she unkinked her spine and shared a smoke with the punk rockers who sat in the back of the bus while watching a red sunrise over the foreign landscape.  Lack of sleep made the trip a surreal collage of new and beautiful experiences.  After 75 hours she arrived in San Francisco, dumped her bag at a hostel, and went to the beach to dip her feet in the Pacific. She was a hopeless romantic then, and not much has changed since!

::: the romance of the open road :::

Road trips also offer a sense of romance. There is something very exciting about getting away with a new love. Long car chats, shared adventures, and romantic locales give you time to get to know one another without distractions. Sipping lattes at a quaint cafe, enjoying a pint in a rustic mountains pub, or taking a stroll down a wooded path are fond memories I hold. When I was a bit younger, I went on a road trip with my boyfriend. We enjoyed endless conversation about everything under the sun and it was then I knew I would marry that man. Seven years later I did, and Gary still loves a road trip as much as I do!

Now Gary and I take our three kids on the road and it is as great as I remember. We visit all of our favourite spots but they are somehow different. Seen through little eyes with boundless enthusiasm, everything old is new again. Their young sense of adventure makes me feel renewed.

::: Road Trip : 14 Knits Inspired by the Open Road :::

Road Trip is a book of designs inspired by all of these things, by nostalgia, romance and adventure, looking forward and back. Beautiful views from winding mountain passes to leisurely afternoons in quaint coffee shops. So grab your needles and yarn, pack up the car, and take your knitting on the road!

::: Road Trip is COMING SOON :::

For more details on the patterns and ordering stay tuned, announcements are coming soon!

In the mean time, tell us about your most memorable road trip! What are your favourite memories and experiences on the open road?

Keep up with Tin Can Knits :::