Gadling

I admit it. I'm a knitter. Maybe not what you would have expected from a twenty-something travel freak, but it's true. Knitting has gotten a bad rap over the years -- trust me, you can do more than knit ugly sweaters -- but fortunately, the craft is coming back into style. Why should you care? Because knitting is an excellent travel activity.

Kelley Petkun, the Vice President of Knit Picks, sent over this list of her top five reasons for knitting while traveling:

1. Knitting eases the strains and frustrations of travel. While everyone else is upset by delays, you see it as more knitting time!

2. A knitting project and an MP3 player are an extremely effective defense against an overly-chatty neighbor when cramped seating in airplanes can quickly cause claustrophobia.

3. Knitting is a good friend. Travel solo with confidence with a knitting project as a constant companion.

4. You can handle any situation with patience and grace if you have your trusty knitting to keep your fingers and your mind occupied. Your travel partner may want to walk around a museum longer than you. The historical site you planned on visiting opens an hour later than the guidebook stated. It's pouring rain so you have to delay your walking tour. You'll always have a back up plan in your bag.

5. You'll meet new people. Knitting is an inviting activity that either fascinates those who have not had any experience with it, or encourages fellow knitters to welcome you into their world. I was in China, it was very rural, and most of the women knit. It was like there was no language barrier at all! We just sat and knit together.

In terms of traveling with knitting needles, you are more than welcome to bring them along in your carry-on, at least according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) standards. On US flights, knitting needles are not considered sharp objects, be they metal or wood. You never know if your TSA agent will be in the mood to take extreme measures however, so it's always a good idea to bring a self-addressed envelope so you can send your project to yourself instead of having to throw it into the bin of scissors, water bottles and other non-approved objects.

Traveling abroad is a different matter. When traveling through Heathrow last summer, I did my research ahead of time and learned that knitting needles were not appreciated; I was forced to read during my eight hour flight. Check with your airline ahead of time to avoid any security inconvenience. Then again, if you've ever met a knitter, they're probably at the bottom of the list of security threats.

Thanks Angela!

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Gear