Dental floss container

Barbie, I haven't had any problems taking needles on flights. I did forget I was carrying 2 pairs of my good embroidery scissors when I tried to get on a flight to Texas, I had to go back and check my carry on! ugh!! ;-)

Julie

bdiane wrote:

Dental floss containers are good. Clover cutters are better. I have heard that "officially", either may be confiscated as security threats but, in practice, I'm not aware that it's ever happened. Clover cutters look very pretty hung about the neck on a cord or chain. When you go through the airport's metal detectors, you remove it and put it in that little basket along with your keys, etc...it goes sailing through and you put it back around your neck and you waltz onto the plane.

There's probably somebody, somewhere who could find some regulation they could construe to prohibit needles. Again, in practice, I've never heard of them being taken. The worst I've heard was of somebody (maybe posted here?) having to poke herself in the hand to prove that tapestry needles are blunt.

Stitching is the only way I can stay sane while on long flights. (It's also a good way to meet men but that's another thread.) My travel projects are of manageable size and minimal complexity. I try to choose things that won't break my heart if, heaven forfend, they should be lost. It's a good time to fill in those boring big blocks of one color or those long lines of backstitch. Before I leave home, I pre-cut as much thread as I think I need and thread up a couple of needles. Everything is packed into a clear plastic bag with a drawstring closure. This gets plopped in the same tub as my purse to go through the machines. Nothing has ever been questioned.

Hmm. Wonder what I can do with dental floss?

Lynda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Sometimes I think war is God's way of teaching us geography." ..................Paul Rodriguez..................................... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IIRC, Jim had to give up his needles coming home from England. He had had no problem at the Canadian end, but the British airport security were not so understanding. Jim - maybe you could comment?

Marg

What happened with me is that I was quite stupid. I had a pair of scissors with my needlework by mistake. Once security found these, they went on searching, and took away the needles as well.

-- Jim Cripwell. From Canada. Land of the Key Bird. This creature of doom flies over the frozen tundra in winter, shrieking its dreaded call; "Key, Key, Key, Key rist but it's cold!!"

Thank you all for your comments. They change things all the time and it really depends on who is doing the scanning evidently. You can take on tiny deadly needles but no fat knitting needles. now I was told at EGA that clover cutters are out. Don't understand any of it . No rhyme or reason. But I am going to try it as I am flying in June to visit hubby's family. I definitely won't bring my pretty scissors though. Thanks for the update !

Hi Barbie-

I just flew in April and again 2 weeks ago (different airlines, different airports), and I had no problem with several needles (embroidery and tapestry) and with Clover cutter. I even had "safety" scissors from a hotel sewing kit that have gotten through security many, many times.

In general, though, don't bring sharp scissors; I'm fairly certain those would be stopped. My general rule is that if I can't bear having it confiscated, then I won't bring it... just in case.

You are completely correct that security definitely varies by airport and by who's doing the checking. Right after 9/11, needles for injections were supposedly banned from being carried on, and I carry and epi-pen. Only once in many, many flights have I evern been asked about the epi-pen. Go figure.

Hope this helps.

--Mickey

Federal rules make no sense most of the time. Eons ago, I had to drop some papers at the Federal courthouse on my way home from work. The guards confiscated my portable radio, but let me take my knitting needles in. Apparently, it's OK to stab a Federal judge, but not to deafen him.