Crochet Tips and Information for Traveling

Melissa Crochet Travel

Crochet tips & information for traveling

If I Can't Bring my Yarn, I'm not Going

A few months ago I came across a photo of a shirt that read “If I can’t bring my yarn, I’m not going.” That is me! One of the best things about crochet is that you really can bring it anywhere! My husband, Mark, and I took our children to Disney World last summer. We decided to drive because it made more sense for us economically. When you are a party of five, plane ticket costs add up quickly.  And as much as we can all drive each other bananas, we really do love just being together. So we drove. Of the two of us, Mark typically does the driving. That works well for me because I would rather crochet! We live in Maryland so it was quite a long drive for us. For most people, that wouldn’t sound very enjoyable or productive. If you are a crocheter though, you know what an amazing opportunity that time is to get work done. And the trip itself was truly magical. In addition to road trips,  I also crochet on-the-go when my kids have sports practices, while sitting in waiting rooms, during family movie nights, when I’m lounging at the pool- basically anytime that I’m sitting, my hands are working. If your project is a reasonable size, you really can bring it almost anywhere!

Hooks on a Plane?

But wait. Can you bring your crochet hooks on an airplane? They look like they could be a potential weapon. Ask Mark and he’ll tell you- we had a few close encounters on our way to Disney of me whipping around to help the kids with an emergency (to get a snack) and almost poking him in the eye with my crochet hook. The answer is YES. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website states that you can have crochet hooks in your carry on and in your checked bags. And seriously, thank goodness! Can you imagine sitting for hours with nothing to do and not being able to crochet? That sounds like a nightmare!

Update 8/13/18: On a flight to New Orleans with my Clover crochet hooks!

If you are wondering, the crochet hooks that I currently use are Clover hooks. They are my favorite. I love their fun, bright colors (you can see them in the background of one of my pics down below) and the easy to grip handles provide tireless functionality. The thing I like most about them though is the optimal hook shape that allows me to crochet each stitch smoothly. I’ve tried other brands from my local craft store and have found that I do not like the shape of the hook and how it catches the yarn as much as I do with the Clover hooks. It could be because of how I hold the hook and yarn and my personal crochet style but these hooks really do work perfectly for me. If you’ve ever suffered from any pains associated with crocheting, you that a good hook is well worth it. And by the way, I love that these amazing tools don’t need maintenance work. They don’t break down, they don’t need replacement parts. Just invest in a set of really good hooks and save yourself from shoulder pain, blisters and cramped hands. You can find the hooks I use on Amazon: hook sizes B-J or hook sizes K-Q. If you have a different crochet hook that you love, please share in the comments. I love trying new products!

What about Scissors & Needles?

Okay. So you can fly with your hooks. But what about other tools that you may need, such as scissors and sewing needles?

You can have scissors in both your carry on and checked bags. However, if you have scissors in your carry on, they must be less than 4 inches from the pivot point. As you can see, the scissors that I use *should* be allowed in my carry on. To be on the safe side though, I’d shy away from scissors with a sharp tip and get a pair with a blunt tip (think scissors made for younger kids).  Initially I thought a yarn and thread cutter pendant would be perfect for traveling but the TSA website states that circular thread cutters or any other cutter or tool that contains blades must be placed in checked baggage. So, if you have a pretty heart shaped yarn cutter pendant from Red Heart like I do, you can not bring it onto an airplane in your carry on because it contains blades. Sewing needles (this includes needles for knitting and needlepoint) are permitted in both your carry on and checked baggage.

So, as a general rule, crochet hooks, scissors and needles are all permitted in your carry on and checked baggage on domestic flights. Yay! But please note that this applies to domestic flights. If you are traveling internationally, please check that country’s carry on rules. You might be fine crocheting in the air on your way there, only to find that they will confiscate your crochet hooks on the way home.  If you are traveling to a country that won’t allow you to bring aluminum hooks on board your carry on, consider these alternatives from Amazon: caspian wood hooks or crystallites acrylic hooks. And as always, when flying, there are a couple things that you should keep in mind:

  • The TSA requests that any sharp objects in checked bags be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors.
  • Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns.
  • The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

Tips for Traveling with Your Crochet

Now that you know you can crochet during your flight, here are some tips for traveling with your crochet:

Tip #1

Put your WIPs (work in progress) in clear gallon storage bags. This is so helpful! I do this at home, but it is especially important when traveling since your environment is harder to control. All it takes is some turbulence and a cup of spilled milk and you’ll be crying over “spilt milk”. Seriously though, you don’t want this to happen. Using gallon storage bags is such a cheap and easy way to protect your WIPs!

Tip #2

Keep printed copies of your patterns in page protectors. This is helpful because you do not want them to be ruined by that “spilt milk”. Using your phone or a tablet to display your pattern will just drain the battery or prevent you from watching or listening to something while you crochet. Just keep it simple and store your pattern in a page protector in the same bag as your WIP.

  Tip #3

Use a clear organizer to store all of your tools in one easy to access place. The photo shows the organizer that I currently use. I am able to store my tapestry needles, stitch markers, buttons, scissors, measuring tape, tweezers- everything that I might need (I had a chap-stick in there too but Miss Muffin Ashley took it). I got mine from the dollar store. I really like it except for the fact that my crochet hooks don’t fit in it. I found one on Amazon that is inexpensive and has compartments that are adjustable: craft organizer.

Tip #4

You will also want a bag for carrying your crochet. I have been using this adorable Llama tote that I found at Kohls. I found it in the clearance section so I’m not sure if it is still available (by the way, if you also find Llamas to be  irresistibly adorable, go check out my Llama hat pattern). This tote is great for throwing my WIP in for short car rides. For traveling on an airplane though, I highly recommend getting a bag that has a zipper. This will help ensure that you do not lose anything. This yarn tote organizer from Amazon looks like it would work perfectly! What I find so neat about this particular tote is that it has holes to feed the yarn through. You can crochet without worrying that something will fall out of your bag!

I hope this article was helpful for you! What tips do you have to add for crocheting while traveling? What has been your experience with flying and crocheting? Comment below! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you're interested in the shirt that I mentioned at the beginning of the post, here's the link to the shirt on Amazon: shirt.