There are some trips where you come home rested, and there are some trips where you come home with stories. I have a feeling Italy with my friend Lynne is going to be full of stories. She has never been to Italy, and I am already imagining us wandering through little streets, eating pasta, journaling in cafés, and of course…me trying to figure out what crafting project is safe enough to survive airline security.
As many of you know, my hands are almost always busy. If I am sitting still for too long, there is usually yarn involved. Knitting has traveled many miles with me over the years, but let me tell you, after 9/11, traveling with knitting needles became a whole different adventure.
One of my most traumatic knitting moments happened on a trip from Houston to Odessa, Texas. Yes…Odessa! Not exactly an international security threat situation. I had made it through security perfectly fine, but when we got to the gate, they decided to do random checks, and lucky me…I was chosen.
The agent told me to open my bag. I did. He reached in and pulled out my knitting project. Mind you, this was not just any project. This was The Little Demon shawl by Cheryl Oberle. If you know, you know. Lace knitting with 362 stitches on circular needles is not for the faint of heart. Before I could even react, the agent proceeded to start pulling my stitches OFF the needles without my permission.
I truly believe my sweet husband Bob saved the day — and possibly saved me from jail. Bob calmly suggested to the agent that perhaps we could simply gate check the knitting bag without dismantling the entire project. Thankfully, the agent agreed. Meanwhile, I was somewhere between tears and wanting to launch myself across the airport counter. Phew. Crisis avoided.
Then there was the Great Scissor Incident.
Apparently, I had accidentally left my beloved little gold embroidery scissors in my knitting bag. Security confiscated them immediately. I tried everything. First, I politely asked if they could put them in lost and found so I could retrieve them on the way back. Nope. Then I said, “Well, at least give them to your grandmother. She will appreciate these scissors.” Honestly, I still stand by that suggestion.
And then came Nairobi, Kenya.
On the mission trip home, I passed through the first security checkpoint beautifully. I was feeling confident. Then we got to the second waiting area security check before boarding the plane, and sure enough, the agent spotted my knitting bag and announced it would need to be gate checked.
Now here is the funny part. My entire mission team was watching this unfold. They all knew I had knitted nonstop during that trip — birthday gifts, scarves, wallets, gifts for the people feeding us — I was knitting the entire time. They were all waiting for me to completely lose my composure when the bag was taken away.
Instead, I smiled sweetly and calmly handed it over.
Once we got seated, everyone looked at me in shock and asked, “Doris, how are you this calm? What are you going to do on this long plane ride without your knitting?”
I quietly smiled and whispered, “I have another knitting project hidden in my backpack they didn’t catch.”
Ha. I won.
So now here we are, preparing for Italy. Nine days there and two long travel days. Naturally, my first thought is not shoes or outfits. No. My first thought is, “What crafting project can survive airport security?”
I have heard rumors lately that some airlines are getting picky again about knitting needles, especially metal ones. Bamboo seems questionable, too, depending on who you talk to. So I have decided not to risk my sanity this trip.
Instead, I am pivoting to crochet.
Apparently, crochet hooks are not causing nearly the same drama at airport security, so I have a whole new travel plan in motion. I am bringing mini crochet projects with me — granny square dumpling bags. I have a big event coming up in September, and I need to crochet ten dumpling bags and twenty coasters, so honestly, thirteen hours on an airplane suddenly sounds productive.
I am already organizing my little travel pouch. Crochet hooks with tip protectors so they look less like dangerous weapons. Mini snips packed carefully. Yarn wound neatly. Emergency backup project probably hidden somewhere because clearly I have trust issues now.
And of course, my travel journal is coming with me too, along with my business notebook that I absolutely love. Because somewhere between the pasta, yarn, crochet hooks, journaling, laughter with Lynne, and wandering through Italy, I already know inspiration will strike.
And honestly, that may be my favorite souvenir of all.
