One of my favourite places to knit is a plane. I love these undisturbed hours of knitting while an audiobook plays on my headphones.

But this summer, my plane knitting plans were thwarted – twice!

My husband and I travelled to Europe for almost four weeks this summer to see my family and friends in Belgium. We try to do this every year. From Vancouver, it is a 9-hour direct flight to Amsterdam – and then just a train home after that.

Such a long direct flight is a perfect stretch of time to get some knitting done! So I cast on the Basic Beanie pattern by Tin Can Knits with absolutely stunning yarn by Bigfoot Yarn Company. I always cast on and knit a few rounds before leaving for the airport because I am still a bit nervous about the security check. Are my needles going to be okay again this time too? (Like every other time before.) My reasoning is that if they have a project on them, my circular needles look more like a craft project and not just a circle with a stabby point at each end.

Anyway, I had no troubles at all getting through security. Bag didn’t even get pulled out of the line to do a second check. Great!

So off we went! Our plane left at 6pm and we got a meal about an hour in. After our meal, I pulled out my knitting and settled in. Ready to make substantial progress on this toque. But then they dimmed the lights and the plane went all dark. Of course! This was a night flight! They always dim the lights for the majority of the time on this flight so people can get some sleep.

I knew this. I’ve taken this particular flight more than a dozen times already. But somehow, I forgot?

So no knitting for me… Oh well, I got some more sleep instead!

The second thwarted plane knitting attempt was more surprising! And definitely not something I could have known.

As we were in Belgium for quite a long stretch of time, my husband and I booked a 4-day city trip to Copenhagen. The flight from Brussels is only an hour and a half – love the quick trips when we’re in Europe!

Again, I brought my knitting and again, I had no trouble at all getting my project through security. No night flight this time so I fully expected to be able to knit for the duration of the flight. Until one of the flight attendants came by to inform me that I was not allowed to knit on a plane! And that they had to take away my knitting bag!

I couldn’t believe it! I’ve knit on planes dozens of times and never had a flight attendant even make a remark about it. But what could I do? They promised they would give me my knitting project back after we landed so I handed it over. Before this flight, I had always worried that they were going to take away my needles at security, but never on the plane itself. Thankfully, it was a short flight.

But as I was sitting there on the plane with nothing to do, I started thinking about why it was an issue this time. Did another passenger feel unsafe because of the pointy things and mentioned it to the attendants? But the seat to the left of me was empty and my husband was in the one on my right. So this person wouldn’t have been close. (And no, it was not my husband. He knows better than to try and take my knitting projects away!)

The explanation I came up with was that this particular route was probably staffed by newer flight attendants as it is so short. A great short route to train new flight attendants. And I guess if you just had to learn all the rules, the no-pointy-things-on-the-plane rule is still quite fresh in your memory. The flight attendant did say that a crochet hook would have been allowed – less pointy, I guess?

So that was my theory. Or does anyone else know why this happened on this particular flight? And have you ever had your knitting taken away on a plane? Or before boarding at security?

On the long flight home (a daytime flight this time), I had no issues again and none of the flight attendants said anything about my needles. Different plane, different rules?

Tot de volgende keer,
Evi