By some miracle, I get to go on a cruise next week. I’d planned on taking my knitting along to while away the hours in between books, but my traveling companion fears that the salt air will harm my knitting. Now the items I’m knitting will eventually be washed, but he seems to think the salt spray will be a problem. Anyone have any experience with knitting on the ocean?
I would knit away. Think of fisherman’s sweaters. They aren’t harmed by the salt spray.
Ok, that’s just silly. There are knitting cruises.
I’m pretty sure that people have been knitting near the ocean for a long time.
Maybe for some reason he would rather you not bring your knitting along?
Knitting probably BEGAN near the ocean…it’s thought that the first knitters may have been fishermen making nets.
If you usually knit with bamboo or wooden needles, I might think twice about using them–especially if you live in a non-humid environment. I can imagine the needles swelling enough to cause issues with your gauge. (Then again, my only bamboo needles that I’m actually likely to use are size 2, suitable for socks, and just by being bamboo make my gauge different than the metal size 2s).
And I can imagine that one might not want to take your most expensive or delicate yarn just in case, but I’m not sure why the sea air would be a reason not to knit in general.
As a professional (I used to own a knitting store) I can say with some certainty that there will be no problem.
Thank you all for the reassurance. It’s not that he doesn’t want me to knit…he’s going to be working, so he needs me to be occupied and out of his hair! But he cruises often and knows how the salt coats everything…he was just concerned. I plan on taking the socks I’m working on, as well as a second pair, and the gnomes I need to make for Christmas. And maybe a purse I’ve been wanting to do. I feel like I’m channeling the Yarn Harlot…worried that I won’t have enough yarn to keep me occupied before I even worry about what clothes to pack!
If you use bamboo needles they might be sticky from the humidity of being on the water. Otherwise, I’m sure you’ll be fine. And the needles will go back to normal when conditions normalize too.
I’ve knit on the beach. Sand was more of a concern than salty air, but the biggest issue was humidity/sweaty hands. The wool doesn’t slide through my tensioning fingers as easily when it’s very humid out. Sock yarn was less an issue in this respect than worsted, and the smoother the yarn, the better. If it’s humid where you’ve been knitting lately, you probably won’t have much of adjustment to make. Just keep an eye on your tension.