Packing for Chain Link isn’t like anything a person would do in normal life. Don’t laugh, but I was so relieved to discover from my friends that I am not the only one who is worrying about underwear. Bringing the right underwear. Having enough underwear. It has taken five years of camaraderie to get to the point where my peeps feel comfortable enough to mention this. Hey, it’s not a subject that comes up in casual conversation, you know. Stop laughing.

Don’t think that it helps if you can remember what clothes, shoes, yarns, tools and paraphernalia you brought the previous years and avoid repeating your mistakes. You’ll just go on to make new mistakes this year.

So, I am standing hip-deep in a heap of stuff that will eventually get sorted into two heaps: What I’d Like To Bring In An Ideal World, and What Will Fit Into My Suitcase. I found a sweater that I did not recognize at first. Then it hit me. I had the pleasure of modeling it last year.

It is a design that appeared on the cover of summer 2007 CastOn, the official publication of our sister organization the Knitting Guild Association (TKGA). Yes, it is (gasp) knitted. In retrospect this must have been confusing to many attendees who got the impression that I designed the piece. Nope. The Cowl Neck Sampler Pullover was designed by Esther Yun-Mancini, a brilliant and fashion savvy art director/stylist at Tahki Stacy Charles. And she’s not a bad crocheter, either. (BTW, if you’re ever lucky enough to meet Esther’s husband at one of these events, try not to drool!) Sweater looks pretty good, huh? I made sure I took home a copy of that CastOn issue thinking I’d brush up my knitting skills and make one. Yeah, right. Never gonna happen.

So what is it doing in my heap, you ask? I didn’t abscond with it, if that’s where you’re going. A couple of months later this garment came up for auction and I bid on it…. and WON! The Rwanda Knits auction in October is an opportunity to get your hands on some of the fabulous design samples you’ve seen in magazines, catalogs and online and help this life-changing cause at the same time. Cari Clement, the driving force behind the organization, just leaked to me that at least two garment samples that I crocheted are going on the block during this year’s auction: the rose-colored Lacy Duster and the blue Lacy Jacket. How cool is that? I’ll remind you about the Rwanda Knits Auction closer to the event in October, so keep your eyeballs peeled and your bidding skills honed.

Meanwhile, who’s gonna sit on this suitcase so it will shut?