MacGyver would be proud

I had a recent experience that had the potential to be panic attack inducing.

Thing #1 and I were on our way to visit my parents.  She was driving so I didn't have my keys (that's important).

After settling into the ride (15 minutes in ~ too far to turn back), I realized with some sense of alarm that I only had one project with me that I was knitting AND I was knitting it Portuguese style AND I didn't have any of my Portuguese knitting pins with me AND as it was her car and not mine, there was no back up project. I keep a Portuguese knitting pin on my key chain, which as I mentioned I didn't have.

Thing #1 chuckled at my barely concealed panic as I slowly and methodically searched through every pocket of my purse, my pants, and my knitting bag for something I could use in place of my knitting pin.

I really made an effort to remain calm. Lamaze breathing came to mind; although it didn't work then, so I don't know why I thought it would work now.

Thankfully I have gotten into the habit of putting a small notions kit or Knit Kit into my project bags.  In this case it was a Knit kit with locking stitch markers.  AHA! I could work with this. I felt like MacGyver would be proud.

 I fastened a couple together and made a makeshift Portuguese knitting pin.  HUGE sigh of relief.

Later on these pins attached to my shirt served another purpose.  While showing my mother my Cirrus Poncho, I found a dropped stitch! Luckily the mohair in the fibers kept it from running.  I quickly took one of the locking stitch markers and clipped the dropped stitch.

Moral of the story... "Don't leave home without it" takes on a whole new meaning and I am going to need more knitting pins.