Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Flying the Friendly Skies

Plan on flying with your knitting/ crochet or needle point? No problem according to our friends at the TSA:

Knitting needles are permitted in your carry-on baggage or checked baggage. However, there is a possibility that the needles can be perceived as a possible weapon by one of our Security Officers. Our Security Officers have the authority to determine if an item could be used as a weapon and may not allow said item to pass through security. We recommend the following when bring knitting needles on an airplane:

  • Circular knitting needles are recommended to be less than 31 inches in total length
  • We recommend that the needles be made of bamboo or plastic (Not Metal)
  • Scissors must have blunt points
  • In case a Security Officer does not allow your knitting tools through security it is recommended that you carry a self addressed envelope so that you can mail your tools back to yourself as opposed to surrendering them at the security check point.
  • As a precautionary measure we recommend that you carry a crochet hook with yarn to save the work you have already done in case your knitting tools are surrendered at the checkpoint

Most of the items needed to pursue a Needlepoint project are permitted in your carry-on baggage or checked baggage with the exception of circular thread cutters or any cutter with a blade contained inside. These items cannot be taken through a security checkpoint. They must go in your checked baggage.


Now, what I don't undertand is this statement "As a precautionary measure we recommend that you carry a crochet hook with yarn to save the work you have already done in case your knitting tools are surrendered at the checkpoint." What does this mean exactly? So if you've started a knitting project on 36" steel size 2 needles and they're confiscated in fear that, in a knitterly rage over a stitch dropped when the plane hit an air pocket, you'll garrotte the pilot after stabbing out the flight attendant's eyes for spilling ginger ale on your project that you can simply continue working on said project with a crochet hook?? Do they think knitting and crochet are totally interchangable? Oh that's just ignorant! While I'm bicraftual and I am a strong proponent of knowing both skill sets, I know plenty of knitters who aren't. What are they supposed to do, use the hook as a stitchholder?

Anyway, thank goodness I converted most of my needles to bamboo, except for the Boye needle master cicular set. So I'm going to Mexico for a science conference friday. I hope to find some great yarn there, oh and learn sciencie-stuff too of course.

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