What to do at your in-law's over Christmas when not eating

I like my in-laws, they are lovely, generous people. However, I usually get a bit stir-crazy after a few days at their place. I am not very good at a)sitting around doing nothing or b)dashing about Sydney looking at things (other than fabric shops, for which I make an exception). I really, really, like to stay home and make things. This time I had a plan.
The first part of the plan involved the 15 to 16 hours travel in the car - each way.

My husband and I share the driving, but I am able to do simple knitting whilst on passenger shift.
I made this pair of socks... (for my son, from remnants of Patonyle and Heirloom sock yarn)

and this pair of French Press slippers - seen here in their unfelted state.


This pair was for daughter the first. I made them from Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed, which is the only worsted weight yarn I have that I thought might felt. After 8 agitation cycles in my mother-in-law's top loading washing machine, (I told you she was a lovely, generous person) they sort of felted, and are wearable, but the cashmere and silk in the yarn, although less than 25% of the total, seems to stop the wool from felting completely.
I cannot show you a photo of the finished slippers, as they are being posted back from Sydney with other Christmas presents.
Next up, I made myself a pair of French press felted slippers, from Heirloom "Heatherwood" 100% merino wool. This is not worsted weight, being an 8ply category 3 yarn, but I did not change the pattern at all, and the slippers fit perfectly.





I plan to make many more pairs of these. They took 2 x 12 minute agitation cycles in my mother-in-law's machine, so I am hoping that I can achieve the same effect in my own front loader. My mother in law has commissioned a pair for her birthday, so I think they are a success. Other relatives tried some commissions as well, but I did not commit to any more pairs. I think they have enough hand made presents for the moment. They did like their presents.

After this, I started on a cardigan for daughter the first. This is from Jo Sharp Knit 7, the drop stitch cardigan, and I thought I would be working on this project for our entire camping holiday. I am not very fast at knitting.
I started it on Boxing day, and finished the main cardigan on the 28th. It is knit on 10mm needles with 2 strands of 8ply yarn, and is unbelievably quick to knit, quicker than a baby cardigan.

I am hoping to obtain a photograph of this cardigan on my daughter, but she claims that it is too hot at present.
I did think, as it rained for most of our time in Sydney, that I might squeeze in a quick trip to the fabric shops. Fortunately for my credit card, my husband was very keen to get moving after 5 days of sitting around eating.
I knit the belt (moss stitch) on our drive home, and one size 11 man's black sock with a cable.
We did not go camping. Most of rural NSW seemed to have a flood warning, and it rained for nearly the whole trip back. This is a bit disappointing, but now I have a few unexpected holiday days at home, waiting for the weather to clear a bit so we can go camping somewhere else without being trapped in the tent by thunderstorms the whole time. I may start some SWAP sewing.