Travelling with your needlework

I regularly hear customers lament the fact that they want to take their needlework on long-haul flights but that the current regulations prevent them from doing so. For this reason I thought I would make this the subject of this week's blog. Several years ago as I was about to embark on an overseas trip, I researched the regulations in the Airline industry and then went on a search for the ultimate scissors that would accompany me in the cabin, on this flight. I found a couple of possibilities which I then took with me as a "test". At the time, not having complete faith in them, I also took the thread cutter pendant which I had used for many years on flights, but which I found, is not as convenient as a small pair of scissors. One pair of scissors did not get out of Brisbane; the other pair travelled extensively with me on that trip and on many subsequent trips. They have travelled in and out of some of the biggest airports in the world -LA, London, Rome, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Vienna, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, to name a few - and never have I yet had a problem with them. That's not to say I have never had a problem - one time I decided to give small embroidery scissors as gifts to some embroidery friends, and gift wrapped 8 pairs which I then packed into my hand luggage - without thinking! At the security check I was adamant - "I have only my travel scissors with me. here they are". "No Maam, There are lots of scissors in your hand luggage". How can that be? And then I opened my luggage - the presents of course! A blonde moment! I digress!

Back to my travel scissors. Our Australian regulations are among the strictest in the world. The regulations provide that small blunt ended or rounded ended scissors with blades less than 6cm long are permitted in carry-on baggage at the discretion of the security screening officer at the airport. Fortunately in my travels to date, the screening officers have exercised their discretion wisely and I have been permitted to travel with my scissors. Some countries allow pointed scissors provided they are a minimum size, but this is not the case in Australia and any with a point will be confiscated. The small yellow ( yes, yellow and without a colour choice) travel scissors, are a must have if you are travelling and want to stitch. They are under $10.00 so in the event you strike a security officer having a bad day and he doesn't give you that discretion, your outlay is minimal.
Over the last 5 or 6 years that we have stocked these scissors, we have not had anyone tell us that they have had their travel scissors taken from them. Quite the contrary. Everyone has thanked us for enabling them to enjoy their hours spent in airports and on long-haul flights!

As for needles, I haven't encountered a problem here either. Mind you I take only a small needlecase with the specific needles I plan to use on the plane in it, and put my larger needlecase with all my needles into my suitcase.

So Bon Voyage. Enjoy your travels and your stitching time!