Places you can take your knitting projects this summer!
The kiddos are out of school, you've gotten the time off work you've been desperately craving, you are at the airport and suddenly you realize.... Can I get through security with my knitting needles? You've been so busy getting the trip planned that this thought never occurred to you until this very moment!
Now you have a terrible sinking feeling of potentially having to pull your needles out of the project you were so excited to work on during your flight. It has you scrambling to see what the rules are for traveling with your needles! Or even rushing to throw in a lifeline so if the worst should happen, you can grab a new set of needles after you get to your destination, and pick those stitches up and carry on with your project.
If you have ever been in this desperate situation, you are not alone! We can get so used to just bringing our knitting with us everywhere that we sometimes forget that people might consider these sharp objects as a weapon! 🫢
With travel season starting, we thought it would be a good time to look at if we can fly with knitting needles, what the rules are in this situation, and also talk about some tips that might be helpful for navigating security checks.
Can You Fly With Knitting Needles?
The short answer is most likely. We are here in the States, so we did a little research on the TSA website, and they do say you can have knitting needles in both your carry on and checked luggage. (Fact check us here.) But, the reason we say "most likely" is because the TSA covers US flights only. The rules and regulations may be different when you cross boarders though, so it's always good practice to double check what the protocols are in the country you are traveling to or from.
We have never had any issues flying with our needles, both within the United States and when we've gone overseas, and on the vast majority of those flights, we knit socks with our steel, fixed cable, Chiaogoo needles. That being said, we always still plan ahead for the "what ifs" and the "just in case" scenarios.
Being Prepared, Just in Case!
There are a few things we can do to minimize the chances of losing our needles. One tip that we find really effective, is to remove the needle tips! Using interchangeable needles can be great for getting through security without incident because removing the needle tips makes our needles look like less of a dangerous object when scanned.
This is also a helpful, because just in case your needles don't pass the security check, then you only have to dispose of the tips rather than pull out the whole needle and cord and have a mess of live stitches waiting for you later.
Another helpful suggestion would be to use wooden needle tips for your travel project. Wooden needles tend to have a more blunt tip on them, so they are not as dangerous looking. Especially if you have interchangeable wooden needles, and you can throw those tips in your notions pouch with you pens and other bits and bobs.
For more information on needle types, check out this blog post.
Where Else Can We Knit?
Many of us like to take our knitting on the go and get a quick row or two in whenever we have a little time. That could be taking your knitting to watch the ball game with your friends or to a comedy show or concert in a large arena or stadium. Many of these venues will allow knitting needles, but any bag you carry in, must be clear and under a certain size. As these policies can be different for different venues, we always highly recommend checking on the venues' website for any updates to policies.
Where Will You Be Knitting This Summer?
Do you have travel plans this Summer? If so, we hope that you and your knitting have a safe journey! Let us know if you have any more questions or comments on this topic so we can keep this discussion going.
Happy Making, Friends!
The Plucky Crew
P.S. We love seeing all of your beautiful creations made with Plucky yarn! Please tag us @thepluckyknitter or use the hashtag #pluckyknitter on Instagram and Facebook so we don't miss them! And sign up for our newsletter emails for a look at upcoming yarn and kit updates!