Thoughts On a Plane...

Crafting and airplane travel:

I used to be an anxious traveler, trying to control everything when, in reality, I have absolutely no control of when a plane will leave and how long it takes me to get to my destination. Let's face it, these days air travel involves a lot of waiting around and enforced sitting still. Sure, its fun to bingewatch a favorite show on your iPad (Shetland anyone?), but why not take advantage of the down time to work on a project? When I bring along a knit or crochet project, time flies, I am more relaxed, and I make great progress! If I get stuck in an airport, I know I'll have something to do with myself other than fret about the delays.

My latest airplane project - Sophie's Dream made with Sheepjes whirl.  

Mindless or mindful: 

It's up to you! Depending on your travel situation, and how well you can focus, a mindless simple project (like a scarf or ribbed sock) can be just the ticket. If you are able to tune out the world, a project that requires more focus can be fine as well. Know yourself, and if in doubt, bring one of each! 

A word about carry on rules:

The absolute worst would be to have your needles/hooks taken away from you or have to rip out your project. So it's a good idea to check on rules for the countries and airlines before traveling. I tend to bring wood or bamboo knitting needles, as opposed to sharper metal ones, out of an abundance of caution. I also keep needles short and unthreatening - either double point or circular knitting needles. And for snipping? I bring a nail clipper in my little case rather than scissors, then I sew in ends later. If you are concerned about confiscation, ease your mind by having a way to tie off your project, and bring backup needles/hooks in your check bag. 

Top tips for crafting on a plane:

1. Find a one-skein project. There isn't much room in a basic economy seat. I find that working off of a single ball of yarn is so much more manageable. Save the 50-ball color work project for another time. I love working with thin, long yarns like Sheepjes whirls so I only need to bring one ball for my entire trip. A single ball makes three of the squares for my Sophie's Dream blanket.  

2. Minimize the "stuff" you need. Find a project that uses one size needle or hook, or 2 at a maximum. I do use double point needles for sock or mitten projects on planes, but be aware that you don't drop them - retrieving a thin needle from the floor is nearly impossible. Knitting a sock with a magic loop on a circular needle is probably safer.

3. Keep it contained. A perfect little project bag is necessary here. I love this little dumpling bag from Blinkwaffle because it holds my ball and project, it sits nicely either next to me or on the floor, and it easily stuffs into my carry on. A small zip pouch is also necessary for project notions. I use this 3-zipper pouch from Pylones to store my spare needles or hooks, a measuring tape, and my nail clippers. It comes in lots of fun patterns too! 

Dumpling bag doing its stuff.

Notions bag - it just fits shorter double point needles!

4. Think about lighting. Those little overhead lights on planes are challenging to put it mildly. Try to use a lighter colored yarn so you can see your stitches - this is not the time for that deep plum or dark gray. I bring a headlamp when I travel anyway, so I just pop it into my project bag for a little extra lighting. Some people prefer a neck light for projects. Just make sure your lighting is charged and/or bring fresh/spare batteries. 

5. Manage your pattern. If you chose to bring a mindless pattern, hooray! You will have less pattern to manage in your little bitty space. My project example requires an extensive pattern, with charts and directions, so I contain it in a three clip folder, and keep it on my tray table or lap. I also make sure I have the pdf saved to my phone, so I can check it quickly in Acrobat or in an app like "MyRow Counter" if I can't get to the folder mid-flight, or if (heavens forbid) I lose the folder.

Happy flying!