Can I Take My Knitting Needles On A Plane?

The summer holidays are fast approaching, and for many knitting and crochet enthusiasts, the packing process will illuminate an interesting question... Can I take knitting needles on a plane?

To dispel the rumours and put an end to the debate, Ajanta Studios will let you in on everything you need to know about travelling with your new or on-going knitting or crochet projects.

Can I Take My Knitting Needles On A Plane?

Simply put, most airlines permit you to take knitting needles on a plane. On the UK Government website knitting needles are allowed in both your hand luggage and hold luggage without complications. You may also be interested to know that scissors and sewing needles are also allowed thanks to UK rulings. The Transport Security Administration allow knitting needles in checked and carry-on bags in US domestic flights.

Although you'll likely be fine with knitting needles wherever you travel, it's a good idea to do your research before travelling. You may have no problems flying out, but coming home through foreign security could be an issue, unless you know what restrictions are in place.

Knitting On A Flight

Knitting on a flight shouldn't cause any complications, but do bear in mind that if cabin crew ask you to stop or have reason to believe that your knitting needles would pose a threat to passengers or cause a situation, you'll have to stop what you're doing and put them away.

We would recommend that you only take a smallish project on-board so your yarns aren't spilling over seats and bothering other passengers. It's a great idea to bash through a few fast projects that aren't too intricate or complex so you can talk to friends or family and multitask while you knit away for a few hours.

What Knitting Needles Are Best For Travel?

If you want to breeze through security, we suggest you opt for bamboo knitting needles. Not only are they lightweight, comfortable and easy to use on all your yarns, they'll attract a lot less attention than metal knitting needles.

You can find a variety of bamboo knitting needles in different sizes on Ajanta or you can look through our full range to find exactly what you're looking for.

Do I Need Anything Else?

A lot needs to happen between the airport and getting stuck into your project on the plane. All the early starts, packing and commuting can cause you to completely lose your place, so make sure you apply some stitch markers to highlight points of significance on your half-finished threadwork.