Knitting like I wanted to on vacation turned out to be a mixed bag. We went to Texas to spend Christmas with my in-laws. Since I wasn’t sure what was and wasn’t allowed on the plane, I called to find out what knitting needles I could bring. I was told I could bring a crochet hook, but was absolutely not allowed to bring any knitting needles of any kind, especially not double-pointed needles. So much for working on my son’s socks on the plane. There is only so much reading you can do and card games you can play during 8 hours of flying. I packed everything into my suitcase; at least I could knit once we got to Texas.
As soon as we got there, I got out my knitting and started the new special order I got right before we left. One of our friends wants a scarf in shades of purple. I had a lot of time alone in between outings, so I was able to get the scarf done in just a few days.
Then I pulled out my son’s socks. I’ve been taking this project with me while I wait during my son’s guitar lessons for the past month and a half. I was so busy knitting wrist warmers for selling that that was the only time I could work on his red and charcoal gray twist wool socks. These were fast becoming the socks I was never going to finish, so I hoped to get them done while we were away. I completed the first sock and started on the second. When I came to the end of the first skein, I couldn’t find the second one. I was sure I had packed it and was worried that when my suitcase had been searched that it had inadvertently fallen out. Either that or I’d left it at home. Not being able to continue was frustrating at best and I had to wait a full week to see if the yarn was at home or not.
Luckily, I had brought a third project. I found the perfect use for some beautiful, hand-painted Punta Yarns I bought on our last trip to New York. I couldn’t afford to buy a lot of it, so I got two skeins. I couldn’t resist the combination of the blues and greens in the soft merino and cashmere blend. I wasn’t sure what I would do with it, as I have enough scarves and socks already. When I saw the modern reticule pattern in the new Jane Austen Knits magazine, I knew that was it! I had the base already finished on the needles before the trip. I was able to finish the body of the handbag and start the handles during the rest of the time we were in Texas.
On the connecting flight home there was a woman who’d managed to get through security with a cowl on 16 inch aluminum circular knitting needles, which really bothered me! I made the effort to ask and thought the double pointed needles would fall into the “tools under 7 inches” category that would be allowed and was denied. But I also wasn’t willing to take the chance and have my knitting needles taken from me and thrown away. This woman probably just brought it not caring and talked her way out of it.
Now we are home. I searched for and found the sock yarn on the floor mixed in with other yarn I’d gone through near where I’d packed my bag. I had already come up with a plan to rip out the first sock to the heel and reknit it, using what was left of the red for the legs, heels, and toes of the socks. I would then get a matching dark gray yarn for the feet. I still like the idea, but I’m glad I don’t have to rip the sock out! I’ll save that idea for another time. In the meantime, I am happily knitting on the second sock again.
We’ve already decided the issues with possible cats on the plane is like playing Russian Roulette with my allergies. I didn’t know cats were allowed in the cabin now. I’ve never been so stressed while traveling before in my life. My son’s guitar humidifier was taken from our luggage by TSA, I guess because of something in the water-absorbing crystals? That paired with the unfair and inconsistent treatment of being able to bring knitting on the plane has made us want to drive instead of fly next time.
Hope everyone out there had great holidays and lots of good knitting!
