Crochet hooks on planes

[Beulah]

Now with all the rules about what you can and cannot take onto planes, has anyone had any experience with taking a steel crochet hook through airport security, I have an upcoming 8 hour flight and I don't think I can go 8 hours without my thread crochet. I have looked up the security rules and the only thing it says is that knitting needles are allowed (no mention of size).

[samistrange]

Your best bet would probably be to call your airline, I'm sure they could tell you.

[Addey]

Hooks are allowed on planes. In the past 3 years of traveling almost every-other-week on a plane, I've only had 2 questions ever asked of me. One was because they thught my scisors were too big (looked it on the monitor...) but they weren't. You're allowed scisors with up to 4" blades. (I take a pair of snips, work just as well, no questions...) The other question was when I had a thread project with me. Once they saw it was a crochet hook, no big deal. It's not the airlines that will give you problems, but the TSA people. (Everyone goes thorugh the same checkpoints...) Some airports barely seem to check anything (had hand sanitiser zip right through when it shouldn't have...) and others have a bug up their butt.

Yes, I take metal hooks.

Yes, I take snips.

Yes, thread hooks are allowed.

 

My biggest advice though is, take something small that doesn't need a lot of color changes. You don't get much room on a plane and your neighbors might not appreciate an elbow in their face if you've got to manipulate something big....

[crocheting turtle]

In my experience, the airlines will not let you take steel crochet hooks on the planes. If you are using the larger hooks, you can use plastic hooks. I don't know if there are plastic hooks for the smaller steel crochet hooks or not. Good luck.

[angieInCA]

I flew from Los Angeles to Florida in November and took Knitting Needles and Crochet Hooks and my disc yarn cutter on the Plane. I had 2 small WIP's (Knitted Scarf and a crochet wool purse). I only took enough yarn that I thought I could reasonably work on the plane.

 

I kept everything in a small bag that could easily fit into my carry on bag. When I went through security I took the small bag out and had it scanned seperately. No one batted an eye and I breezed right through.

 

Coming back I had a layover in D.C. There was a lady waiting to board the same plane as I sitting across the aisle knitting some socks on steel DPN's that must have been a size 0. AND there was another lady sitting a few seats down from me Crocheting a doily with thread and a small steel hook. Apparently they had both made it through security.

 

I actually printed out the TSA list showing that the items were allowed and stored it with my needles incase they were questioned.

[Momcrochets]

Printing out the list is a good idea...I'll have to keep that in mind for a planned trip this summer!

[Addey]

Pardon me while I turn into sarcastic business traveler for a minute. If I offend anyone, I'm sorry in advance.

 

*ahem*

 

Personally, I think the general public worries way more about airport security than the TSA actually does. In a way, this is good as it makes their job that much easier... What I'm really getting at is that, despite all the hoops we now must jump through, security really hasn't changed any in the last 8-10 years. Sure, you have to take your shoes off now and gells and liquids must be small and quarantend in their own bag. (Please note, I never claimed to be able to spell...) Mostly what has changed is fear. The general public is afraid to do or say anything, for fear of not being let on the plane. While this may cut down on random strange things that could possibly be dangerous, it's not really helping overall.

 

Just realax. Pack reasonably, using the braincells God gifted you with, and you won't have any problems. The TSA does not exist to make your lives miserable. They are people being paid (probably) crappy money to stand around in a crappy airport looking at the luggage of people who get to go all kinds of places and they can't. Most of them are just average people trying to do their job and go home at the end of the day. If you think it's annoying to listen to them make the liquids announcements the relativley short time you're in line, think about having to make those stupid announcements for up to 8 hours at a shot?

 

Ok, I think I got my cranky-ness out with that. Seriously, relax, use your brain and everything will be OK.

 

*curtsies and exits stage left*

[alibra]

I know when I traveled I was told by the airline no metal hooks. But things change, you should call the airport and find out what restrictions are in place now.

[paperflowers]

You could bring a pre-stamped envelope just in case.

 

Addey - What's with all the brain cell comments?

[Addey]

You could bring a pre-stamped envelope just in case.

 

Addey - What's with all the brain cell comments?

 

I don't know, just my matter of speaking I guess... either that or my biology background coming through?? Not sure exactly when I picked up that habit... or maybe it's because I don't think people just stop and think often enough before doing things (myself included!)

Instead of saying someone was stupid (not very nice word) I started saying they didn't have two brain cells to rub together... not sure if that's any nicer, or just a bit more subtle? Hey, I have plenty of days where all my own brain cells are on strike and won't talk to eachother... my hair is "especially golden" as my one friend would say on those days...

 

Again, sorry if I rubbed anyone the wrong way. Just a bit of a bored/cranky Friday.

[Beulah]

Thank you all for your replies, some good suggestions - I like the self-addressed envelope idea (hate to lose a hook), thank-you paperflowers.

 

Addey - I'm only a bit paranoid because I have had small scissors, a nail file, and believe it or not, a plastic rat-tail comb taken away going through security.

 

angie- I have printed out the list but there is no mention of crochet hooks, just knitting needles, thank-you anyway.

 

I have tried calling the airlines, but they say its up to security, so I guess I'll just have to take my chances and maybe I'll just have to make something using a larger plastic hook just for travelling on the plane (sigh, I do love my thread crochet!)

[judypudy]

:eeki just took a trip from cleveland,oh to florida with 2 alum.hooks. g&h size. the lady said no problem. so when i go to bahamas in march i'm gonna TRY to take a thread project with steel hooks. but i think i'm gonna put them in a pen with the ink thingy removed. (i read that is how some woman takes hers on the plane.LOL)

only gonna take my 1.09 hooks though. not my vintage ones the have like 10 cents stamped in the steel.

 

judy

[appy_lover]

Normally I take bigger hooks, but in December I decided I wanted to do a thread project. I took my whole set of thread hooks and a metal yarn needle through security. I got it out and showed it to security before hand, so I still had time to run it back to my car if ness..he said it was fine, but to put it out in the tray so it didn't look odd in the scan. I did and all was fine.

 

I have accidentally gone through security several times this year with stuff I wasn't supposed to have. I accidentally took a my razor through in Las Vegas. Be careful, I might shave your legs...

[purlwise]

Frankly with a thread hook, I would just throw it in your purse and not worry about it. I've gone through with things before and never had a question asked.

[crazycrochet]

When I flew at Christmas, I had my crochet hook case with me and I have both steel and regular hook plus small disc yarn cutter in there. I just took it out and opened it up for the security to see rather than putting it through the scanner. No problems.

[Ladycrochat]

I agree that security really hasn't changed all that much, that we have just become more paranoid about what we are allowed to bring onboard. Case in point....My Husband is a Muslim with a beard. he was flying home from JFK airport in NY. It was a snowy day, so he was wearing a hat. He left his friend's car with his bags and realised (once he was inside the terminal) that he left his hat in the car, so he went running out of the airport (to try to catch his friend before he left)....leaving his bags unattended...in one of the largest airports in the world. Nobody batted an eye. Addey is right, don't worry!

[Beulah]

:eeki just took a trip from cleveland,oh to florida with 2 alum.hooks. g&h size. the lady said no problem. so when i go to bahamas in march i'm gonna TRY to take a thread project with steel hooks. but i think i'm gonna put them in a pen with the ink thingy removed. (i read that is how some woman takes hers on the plane.LOL)

only gonna take my 1.09 hooks though. not my vintage ones the have like 10 cents stamped in the steel.

 

judy

Funnily enough I thought of this idea myself but wondered if it would show up on the X-ray - and then I would really be in trouble!

[smg55039]

I have never had a problem with security. They've never had issues with my hooks and I travel with a full alum set.

 

That being said, I've heard all kinds of stories. My Dad gets stopped on principle - they like the middle-aged, overweight, scruffy type I guess. Ultimately it's up to whomever is checking you. DO print out the TSA listing. If you are worried about snips, take dental floss and use the metal cutter to cut your yarn (I have NEVER heard a story about confiscated floss). Do NOT take any hook you are unwilling to loose - but that's a general traveler mantra.

 

Enjoy the flight.

[MaryPat]

I've been travelling with steel crochet hooks since 2001 and have never had a problem. (Now the scissors I accidentally had with me, I had to mail back home or toss in trash.) I've been to London, Paris, Taiwan, Hawaii, New York City, California and Colorado. I fly out of 3 airports near Washington DC.

 

Anyhow if you're really concerned, pack them inside a bic pen that's had the ink refill removed. They fit perfectly into the pen and as an added feature, make them less likely to be lost while you're travelling.

 

You do not need to hold them out and ask "may I take these hooks?" Just pack them and walk through. If they want to open your bag, they will. Just don't hide them and be furtive. There's nothing to be furtive about.

 

I've had one comment in the past years. I was crocheting in-flight with a Clover size C hook. The passenger next to me called the flight attendant and told her I was using something that was a potential weapon. She smiled and told him it was only a crochet hook and was allowed.

 

I usually take a dental floss container to cut the yarn or thread. So much simpler than having them measure the length of the scissors. Just remembered that I've had no problem bringing metal needles for neatening up ends through security either.

 

I've read on the TSA site at various times that the pendant thread cutters are illegal, but I personally don't have experience with that device.

 

You can call the airlines or the airport, but it's a waste of time. They'll refer you to the TSA site because TSA has the responsibility.

[MaryPat]

Funnily enough I thought of this idea myself but wondered if it would show up on the X-ray - and then I would really be in trouble!

 

Just don't look guilty when questioned. You're not putting them in the pen shell to sneak them through security. You store your metal hooks in the pen shell to protect your purse or to help you not lose them when travelling.

[donnalynn2]

It honestly is up to the person doing the screening and what kind of a mood they are in. I usually take children safety rounded scissors with me on a plane and never have a problem and on the way home from a trip I had to throw them away! The woman actually did try to throw away my nice, big plastic crochet hook too, but I fought that and her superior said it was ok.

 

Once I got "selected" to have my luggage rifled through (not fun) and this was just stuff that would be checked and they picked a couple of things out like a nail file and something else (can't remember now) but how in the world would I get hold of the nail file in my luggage in the belly of the plane during flight and then take over the plane? Cmon people! But that's how it is nowadays! So in a sense, you can't even use common sense. It's all up to the person screening you.

 

Best rule of thumb is to not bring anything in "question" that you aren't afraid of having to toss out!!!!!

[RainbowAzalea]

Addey - TSA does actually pay pretty well.

 

I have never had a problem with crochet hooks (I use aluminum) or yarn or scissors or anything. I ran into more security problems with a wallet full of change tossed into my backpack (big chunk of metal on the scanner) and with wearing too many clothes. Well, not with wearing them, just for not taking them all off. So be prepared that you have to take off your jacket, and any heavy sweatshirts you are wearing.

[Pyroteca]

I flew just this last Christmas to Canada with my crocheting and had no problems. If you want to be extra careful, what I did the first time I flew with my crocheting was put everything in a clear plastic bag so that it was all contained. I had metal scissors and a metal hook. No one said anything, and this was flying out of LAX. So, I would just pack your stuff and not worry about it. However, it is good advice (I know someone already pointed this out) to take a hook and some scissors that you aren't particularly attached to. I would take my great-grandmother's hooks, for example.

 

Safe journeys, and good luck with security.

[boksie]

The last time I flew, I took a plastic hook like many of you are suggesting and I used a pair of fingernail clippers to "clip" the yarn instead of scissors! No problems with it.

[judianne]

In December we flew out of Newark Liberty International Airport (full title...and yes, THAT airport from 9/11) and brought my thread cutter pendant instead of scissors. I did, however have metal hooks with my plastic ones, in a clear bag, and the hooks went through just fine. According to TSA, small scissors with (I think) less than a 4 inch blade are allowed.