Just because I couldn't find all the yarn to finish my New Year's resolution knitting, don't believe even for a minute that I'm not going to eventually find the yarn and eventually finish it. I can be a bit stubborn and mulish about giving up on goals. I still have 11 more months to find the yarn and as long as I finish my socks in pairs, I'd be golden.
So what have I been doing with myself recently? Well, I took a work trip up to glamorous Glasgow. It's the first time that I 'd been to Scotland, ever. Interesting trip, Glasgow is a much more charming town that I'd imagine. As I was in the office during all the hours of daylight, there were no photos of the town. We had a lovely meal at La Bonne Auberge and even with wine, managed to keep the bill under £25 a head.
My trip there was not uneventful, I had a bit trouble getting through airport security. This incident resulted in my wheelie suitcase going through the x-ray machine 4 times, and my knickers, toiletries and bits and pieces also making multiple trips through the machine in small trays. There were also a few rounds of questions, has my suitcase been repaired recently? Are there secret compartments that I know about (well if I did does it count as being secret? and honest, that fine powder isn't potasium nitrate, it's just dust!), Why was I carrying all those wires for my trip (wires, those are cables!, one for my ipod, one for my digital camera, one for my mobile phone, one for my blackberry and finally one for my laptop, ok so what is so suspicious about bring a laptop mains supply without the laptop? It seems perfectly natural to pack all this for an overnight trip and laptop mains without laptop just indicated a person in a great rush grabbing all the cables and forgetting the computer.
Something just seems wrong, to have men old enough to be my father, pawing through my suitcase, next time, I'm going to ask for a woman to do it. I'm sure she's not going to give me sly glances when she picks up my dingy whites.
Just as I was convinced that the only way that they were going to let me on the plane was with my underwear in a bin liner, they handed over my suitcase and let me go, just confiscating my addis. I'm sure that this was out of spite, since I can garrote anyone with my cables much more effectively than with my 24 inch addis and my 2.5mm addis were mush less pointy than my .5mm lead pencil? So relieved that I would be permitted to board my flight and put away my underthings, that I was thankful, inspite of my humiliation . I didn't feel safer though, as I knew that they'd wasted precious time checking me. Not to mention, if they really thought that I was a serious threat, they would had also checked my boots.
So, if you're planning to flying internally (i.e. London to Glasgow), do not pack knitting needles in the carry-on. There is a good probability that they would be taken away. I have taken these same needles to the US, Prague and Turkey in my carry-ons without any problems, but it seems that whether they are permitted or not, is entirely on the discretion of the security person. You can reclaim them for a £6 handliong fee, seems hardly worth it, when you consider the price of the needles.
So here's what I'm working on now. Well, I'm on the second sleeve from this project started in 2003. You didn't hthink that I was only going to knit socks in 2006, did you?
Actually taking away knitting needles is nothing new. It has been that way since 9/11. They even take away my nail-clipper because I can use it as an instrument to scratch someone's eyes out! This nail-clipper I bought it in S.Korea in 1997, travelled with me all over the world... kind of like a son to me (or daughter!) ...
Posted by: cindy at February 2, 2006 01:50 AMMy mum was recently told by airport security that she could take her knitting needles on an international flight (departing from the US) "so long as they aren't the self-sharpened kind." I'm still wondering about that.
Next time, consider the train! Though in the UK I have heard that's not such a pleasant option? At least you'd have 12 hours straight to knit to your heart's content.
I don't fly just now. I am thinking of flying again, but having read your post, I'm less apt. How could I sit there without knitting? Do they take crochet hooks too?
Your sweater is just lovely. The color is elegant. The pattern gentle. looking forward to seeing it all finished.
Love your blog.
Posted by: kathy b at January 28, 2006 03:13 PMI have repeatedly flown with knitting needles over the last couple of years, with no problems. Last February, I took Addis with me and knit all the way from San Francisco to Zurich, then had them confiscated from Zurich to San Francisco, by then with a credible amount of KidSilk Haze in lace. I at least had the presence of mind to ask to take the work off the needles and keep it.
Posted by: JenE at January 28, 2006 05:46 AMGlad you got on okay in Glasgow itself. Shame you hadn't a bit more time or we could have met up. Remember next time you're up on business!
And the addis? It never ceases to amaze me why you can carry on bottles of duty free drink which would do a helluva lot more harm if deliberately broken, but you can't take on addis.
well, they do have some imagination...and bad thoughts too, as they took your needles. It seems wrong, all of it. That they should be that suspicious, and unfriendly, unrespectfull. I know the world in which we are living is more scary than a few years back, but still. I'll have to buy those ziplock bags, it sounds good to me. No one is safe here from having the contents of the suitcase shown to everyone, as i see.
Posted by: Stéphanie at January 27, 2006 05:01 PMI probably would have burst into tears if someone had taken my addi's. It's probably good that I don't fly.
Posted by: Kara at January 27, 2006 03:54 PMOh, how aggravating! Does that mean you boarded the plane with no needles at all? Horrors!
Posted by: Beth S. at January 27, 2006 03:08 PMhow funny... here in the US, i travel quite often for work, and i've never had my needles confiscated. not even the super-pointy aluminum size 1 DPNs, which could be rather dangerous in the wrong hands.
i do get pulled over at security all the time (traveling on one-way tickets is a giveaway red flag for security), and i, too, hate having my small clothes handled in public view by complete strangers. here's a trick: next time, pack your undies in a clear ziploc freezer bag. that way, when they open your suitcase, they can see what's inside, feel the bag to make sure there's nothing sharp inside, and never have to actually touch your clothes or hold them up one by one for the entire security line to see. bonus: if you squeeze all the air out before zipping up the bag, you're essentially vacuum-packing the clothes and making more space for other things in your bag.
Posted by: parikha at January 27, 2006 03:04 PMThat sweater is breathtaking - I've had my eye on that pattern for years(!) - can't wait to see it finished...
Posted by: Bonne Marie at January 27, 2006 02:51 PMWonder what they are doing with those addis? Taking them home to knit with? Love your knitting progress, will have to investigate the pattern now!
Dawn:)
Posted by: dawn at January 27, 2006 02:25 PMWhat a pain!
I see you're working on Saffy. I just finished mine!
Posted by: diana at January 27, 2006 12:09 PMWhat a horrible airport experience. Years ago I got stopped at security because I had a sterling silver antique compact in my purse -- the security guy went through my purse in excruciating detail, pulling everything out and holding it up for all to see. (why, yes, I AM on the pill -- thank you for showing everyone.)
Meanwhile, I had a carry-on back filled with many 14-inch metal straight needles and some wicked looking scissors. I was on my way to a knitting convention.
Posted by: Wendy at January 27, 2006 11:54 AMWas hubby smirking in a corner whilst all this was going on or had he disowned you completely ;)
That's a very pretty project you've got going on there, sometimes the best things are worth the wait don't you think?
What a pain! Strange how you can take them only international flights with no problems but not internally.
Posted by: Mary at January 27, 2006 11:04 AMShame about the needles, but yes, this is standard practice on UK internal flights according to my experience.
Next time you go to Glasgow check out this new yarn shop:
http://www.k1yarns.com/
umm yeah I flew London to Edinburgh and well lets jsut say that internal flights in the UK are a bit more than erm... ridiculous!
If I'd known you were going I could have warned you - I lost 2 sets of addis to Glasgow airport last year! Try explaining that you are demonstrating at a knitting show and need your tools.
Isn't it weird how the technology and knitting takes up most of the room in your luggage and you have little room for clothes
Posted by: Yvonne at January 27, 2006 08:50 AMjeez... what a story. BTW, Easyjet still say they forbid knitting needles in hand luggage.
Posted by: jess at January 27, 2006 08:36 AMNext time hide the addis in your boots! Ha ha!
Don't underwires in bras pose more of a danger than knitting needles? Those things can be downright dangerous if they poke through! Or maybe stash your circ needles in your bra.... hmmm, interesting way to tote a WIP and add vavoom.
Posted by: Sara at January 27, 2006 04:20 AMIf you're ever flying out of Changi Airport in Singapore, same thing, no needles in carry on luggage. At Hong Kong airport, my mum's nail clipper was confiscated too, but they were really sweet about it and told her if she was returning, she could pick it up on her return :)
Posted by: erin at January 27, 2006 03:57 AMWe can't carry needles even into airport lounges to wait for people let alone onto planes, in Australia. It is so boring to have to fill in time here at airports or on planes.
I'm often pulled over to have my bags inspected by security or customs. The more it happens, the more you get nervous and the more they pick you, because you look nervous. Thats my theory. My family say it is because I look like a villain, rude them.
How annoying! They've stopped worrying about knitting needles at the airports in the US, although I still hold my breath while my luggage goes through. You never know when you'll get a guard who was terrified by a knitter as a child....
Posted by: janna at January 27, 2006 02:38 AMHonestly, how can you hijack a plane with knitting needles?? Glad you had a nice trip otherwise.
By the way, you are one of my favorite blog writers. Thanks for all the pictures, knitting tips, patterns, etc. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Angie at January 27, 2006 01:01 AMFlipping heck !
Posted by: Emma at January 27, 2006 12:11 AMArgh - how frustrating!! Bummer about the Addis.
Heh, I should be working on some of the projects I started in 2003... and 2004... and 2005... :D
Posted by: Chris at January 26, 2006 11:52 PM