Everything is fine to carry to right now. I went to Uganda three weeks ago, came back last weekend (with stops in Newark, Brussels, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Frankfurt, DC, Denver) and had a scarf with wooden needles packed in my carry on. Not an eyelash was batted the whole way. In fact, with the exception of Frankfurt, security was very lax (and if anyone should be picked to be searched and have her needles confiscated, it's probably me...grungy jeans, flip flops, indie rock t-shirt, disheveled hair, Dramamine hangover). When I arrived in Entebbe there wasn't even a customs agent. Some guy, not sure if he worked at the airport, just looked annoyed and pointed at the exit.

Take your projects and enjoy!

p.s. If anyone finds themself in Kampala, head to The Banana Boat. They sell adorable, knitted African animals, made by Kenyan women who receive the money back when you purchase one. The wool is spun and dyed in the village. I bought a leopard and my boyfriend picked up a crooked, squinty monkey for me (he knows I appreciate imperfection). He also claims that while I was holed up in a corner of the airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, watching The Breakfast Club on my laptop, that he saw the critters being sold there, as well.

..aha, finally found the little tag that came with my leopard. Visit www.kenanaknitters.com for more info. The website is terrible but bless ya if you can figure out what U.S. stores carry these things...

Topic hijack OVER!

Even less than two weeks after the liquid explosives scare, I was able to get my aluminum needles through check-in and security and no one had any issues with it.  The eyebrow raises I got were a) from the counter agent, who looked at me with the "Dude, YOU knit?" look and b) the fellow travelers when I asked a HSA agent about the needles before handing over my checked bags, and I whipped out my electric blue aluminum ones.  That was the "Holy CARP, you let those on, but I can't have my frickin' lotion?" look.

The only issue I've ever had with security was when I was carrying a metal spoon in my purse at Shannon (Ireland) Airport. Not only did the security agent confiscate my spoon, he also explained exactly how I could puncture someone's airway with it. 

Go to a site like www.expedia.com or www.orbitz.com (etc.) and you'll enter your departure and arrival cities. It's totally free and you can search as many flights/dates as your heart pleases without committing to anything. Otherwise, head to a travel agent.

FYI - I flew between Indiana and Massachusetts last week (December, 2006) and carried on DPNs and a crochet hook and blunt scissors with no problems.? I did remove all the metal doodads from my knitting bag and put them (along with my straight needles) in my checked bag, just to play it safe.? The inspectors were more concerned with liquids.

Visit my blog for more info on my trip, which included a trip to the LYS in Lunenburg, MA.

http://bittenbyknittin.blogspot.com/2006/12/on-road.html