I am a commuter; have been since high school. Buses, subways, and city streets are a part of my every day. So everything I need for the day has to hang on my shoulders or my back and maybe in the crook of my elbow. 'Not in your hands?' you ask. No, hands are for tickets, coffee and bagels, texting, and just plain holding on. If it doesn't hang on me by itself, I don't want it. Oh, and it has to fit comfortably on my lap or between my feet. If you rely on mass transit, you know what I mean. If you don't, next time you are in a city do some people watching and you'll see.

So how do I setup my knitting kit?

Well, I actually keep two, one at home and one in my purse. The one in my purse is a zipper-top gallon bag with only what I need for the day:

• The working yarn ball, wrapped center pull so I don't have to worry about it rolling away or getting tangled.
• The working needles. I almost always use double-pointed or circular needles so I don't poke my neighbor. I've stopped using the convertible circular needles because I've lost too many tips when they loosen.
• Scrap yarn, about a yard or two, preferably slightly thicker than the working yarn. This is good for everything from holding live stitches to making a holder for needles.
• A snap case with stitch markers and an extra row counter. I find that a case where the top comes off completely is just asking to be dropped.
• A color photocopy of my pattern. This makes it light weight and foldable.
• A pencil or pen for taking notes on the pattern which, because it's a copy, is not a problem.
• A tape measure, scissors, and/or a needle for weaving in ends, if I'm likely to get to that point within an hour or two.

That's it. I keep it light, small, and low cost. My needles and the project are the only things I'd be upset to loose, and maybe the yarn, depending on how much I spent on it. The rest is disposable. I like using the zipper-top bags because they provide some measure of protection against spills and rain, although they tend to get holes from the needles after a while. I also like them because I can see what's inside with just a glance.

You'll notice I didn't include buttons or fasteners in this kit. While I will weave in edges or sew seams, I don't like working with buttons, fasteners, and a sharp needle and thread while travelling. I get bounced around too much. These I wait for home and usually work on a flat surface.

The home kit is designed to stock my purse kit when I get close to needing additional tools or yarn. My rule of thumb is if I am likely to need it in two or three hours, then it goes into the purse kit. When I won't need it anymore, I return it to the home kit.

The home kit has has more of what you would expect. I keep a sectioned case for smaller things:

• Scissors, tape measure, yarn needles of various sizes, more stitch markers, pencils and pens in several colors. These are always in my kit.
• Any other size knitting needles I need for the project, any buttons or fasteners and the needle and thread to sew them in place.

I slip this case into my larger project bag, usually a tote, along with extra yarn balls (again in a zipper-top bag to keep them clean), my knitting journal and extra glasses. If I'm going on a trip, I simply put the purse kit into the tote. Add a travel mug and snacks and I'm off.  If the trip is going to be longer, I pack a second project in its own zipper-top bag. I've even slipped my wallet, kindle, and laptop into the tote and used it as a purse (this is especially nice when flying).

How do you pack your kit? I'd like to hear about it, so please visit my Forum and share.