So, as I frantically pack for tomorrow’s flight, something I have down to a science and that facilitates a week’s worth of clothes in two medium messenger bags, I realized two things.
- I’ve never once taken knitting on a trip.
- What kind of project do I take on a plane? It’s a short flight, but I am gone for 10 days… Two of which are dedicated to getting accustomed to the altitude.
So savvy knitters, what should I take?
My missus has cautioned me against taking anything delicate/that I would flip the fuck out if I lost or had damaged. This means that the Mood Scarf is staying home for sure.
I know better than to take lace work. I don’t think I’ll be able to focus and that stuff does NOT travel well – at least with me.
The Stitch Sampler Blanket is the easiest thing I’m working on but I’m weary because I don’t want to pack a bunch of squares on the trip back/ keep track of them while in the wilds of Denver.
Right this second, I got my last KnitPicks order with my long DPNs and I’m tempted to take a top – namely the Gemini, which has been calling my name since I saw it on Knit The Hell Out.
But again, that might take a bit more focus than I have… Socks? I should take socks for sure, they’re compact and easy to travel with, but I DO NOT want to take the Mg socks and starting another pair seems a bit weird….
C’mon Maggs, this isn’t hard.
I know that, but after this week, I think I’ve used up all my bandwidth and so I turn to you awesome folk for advice š It’s last minute but hopefully I can come up with a nice list for future travels.
Project(s) in Progress 
I’ve never taken knitting on one of my trips either, but I think taking something smaller that won’t be easy to lose would be a good thing to take. Have you ever tried knitting dishcloths or hand towels (my mom loves making the former and hasn’t bought a dishcloth in years)? That might make an interesting project for you that would be easy to take with and that wouldn’t be as heart wrenching if you accidently left it somewhere (once finished that is).
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Good call – I haven’t purchased a dish cloth/sponge for about 2 years now but I think we have enough…. Maybe a towel then? I’ll check the stash š
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My favourite plane knitting is a beanie in sport weight on a shortish circular- easy to handle, keeps out of everyone’s way, rarely has a pattern that you have to keep checking, and gives the opportunity to do a hat in a lighter weight yarn (which is something I wouldn’t normally do at home as am perpetually in too much of a hurry :))
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Genius! Then I don’t need to pack one!
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For the plane, I would take something smallish and simple. Dishcloths are my go-to for that kind of thing!
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Unfortunately, we have a ton of them. Not kidding. We could go without doing the laundry for months if it were only down to dish cloths…. I think a hat and a cowl – those seem small and like I wont be elbowing people… I hope!
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I second the hat! On my last trip I had two very small project bags with me. One was for my Sockhead Hat (provided hours of endless knitting on a 6 hour flight) and only one skein of yarn and the second was for my socks. I was worried I would get bored and would need the diversion of the socks. Turned out the Sockhead Hat was awesome for the plane ride. I’m taking another with me on my next long trip to Indiana in November. I’m also going to buy yarn while I’m there to knit more hats with. I’ve got a long list for Christmas š Have a fantastic time on your trip!
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Thank you! I think I’ll be taking two projects as well and a hat is officially in!
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my go to travel knitting is the Hitchhiker scarf…it’s garter stitch, super easy to pick up and put down, the pattern is easily committed to memory and a 400 yd ball of sock yarn lasts a long time on a trip!
Have a great time! (of course if you can shop while you’re gone, you could pick something new up as a souvenir!)
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Thank you! So far Denver is a blast and I am SO inspired by all the knits I’m seeing! No more yarn though! I’ve gone way over budget, though I think my wife might try to surprise me with stitch markers. I forgot mine and she has been asking questions…
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Fun! Did you make it to Fancy Tiger Crafts?
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I don’t know if I overlooked this suggestion, but since you are bringing two projects… put one with its needles in your checked in luggage just in case the TSA agent you have the pleasure of encountering decides to toss your supplies. That way you are not project-less at your destination.
As for me, I have knit tons on planes, but for some reason the only specific project I can remember is a pair of socks – knit two at a time, of course.
Bon voyage!
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I am writing this down on a card and putting that in my wallet for next time! I lucked out with TSA but you’re right, that could have gone real bad, real fast! I did take a stash buster project so I wasn’t too attached to the yarn but I also took my new birch dpns and would have raised hell if those had been tossed š¦ Next time, I’ll be much more careful! And remember to check that both projects get packed >_< There is a very lonely project bag on my couch right now…
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The only thing I put in my checked bag are my metal needles. Some of them are okay; however I’m always afraid they might set off something with TSA. I’ve never had a problem with wood ones on a plane and always take two projects in case I get bored with one.
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Take something simple and smallish that you can do on circular needles. So- that hat that was suggested earlier might be perfect. Trust me- DPNs and colorwork are your enemy. I forsee a needle rolling under the seats, or a skein of yarn popping loose and rolling just out of reach…
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O_O I didn’t think of that…. I am now going to be extra careful with the dpns. I don’t own any circular needles yet, so I went with a cowl on dpns. It’s a single color, so I should be okay, I hope, but I’m going to be extra careful (read paranoid) now!
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My friend recently went on a trip, and when going through the x-ray bit the man found her knitting, took it out of her bag, then pulled both the needles out from the knitting. He proceeded to walk away with the needles over to a man about 10 metres away, to ask if they were on the approved list. They were. My friend was furious. Hope that didn’t happen to you, hope it doesn’t happen on the way back! āŗ
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Thank goodness that didn’t happen! Bad leg or no there would have been a fight! I’m finally back first from vacation and then a really bad virus. Hope you’re well!
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Oh, well that is good news! How was your trip? I am well thankyou, no viruses here yet š
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Denver was marvelous! There were cool yarn stores and the Sherlock Holmes exhibit was all I could have dreamed of! I even solved a case aided by chemistry and people in Victorian dress š
Glad you’re healthy over there. The colds this year are brutal!
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