(Gather) So as the time approaches...

... I need to find the answers to important questions, like "Can I take
felting needles through airport security?"

-- 
Karen J. Cravens  silver@phoenyx.net

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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

> ... I need to find the answers to important questions, like "Can I take
> felting needles through airport security?"

Not knowing how paranoid the screeners are being, my advice would be to
check them.

-- 
Michael Feldhusen
mike_f@io.com



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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Michael Feldhusen wrote:

MF>Not knowing how paranoid the screeners are being, my advice would be to
MF>check them.

The problem with that is that my main sitting-around-doing-nothing time is
going to be in airports and on planes.

The felting needles are probably a no-go, since they're about 3-4" long.
I'm hoping the sewing needles can go.

(google)

Well, it looks like somebody tried it (accidentally), but since she also
had scissors and whatnot, it's not clear if the felting needles would have
been allowed.

And a lot of cross-stitchers talked about taking their stuff... but some
of them put their needles in their coats along the zippers.

I gotta get a thread-cutter or blunt scissors, though.  Or take my dental
floss pack in carry-on.

-- 
Karen J. Cravens  silver@phoenyx.net

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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

My wife was concerned that my insulin supplies (syringe and pen needle) was going to be a hassle since I won't check them and I put them in my carry-on. I just went to Chicago today and didn't have a probem at KC airport. Not even a mention. I had more trouble taking the car seat through the gate security (wouldn't fit through their conveyor system). 
 
Guy Swartwood

"Karen J. Cravens"  wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Michael Feldhusen wrote:

MF>Not knowing how paranoid the screeners are being, my advice would be to
MF>check them.

The problem with that is that my main sitting-around-doing-nothing time is
going to be in airports and on planes.

The felting needles are probably a no-go, since they're about 3-4" long.
I'm hoping the sewing needles can go.

(google)

Well, it looks like somebody tried it (accidentally), but since she also
had scissors and whatnot, it's not clear if the felting needles would have
been allowed.

And a lot of cross-stitchers talked about taking their stuff... but some
of them put their needles in their coats along the zippers.

I gotta get a thread-cutter or blunt scissors, though. Or take my dental
floss pack in carry-on.

-- 
Karen J. Cravens silver@phoenyx.net

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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Guy Swartwood wrote:

GS>My wife was concerned that my insulin supplies (syringe and pen needle)
GS>was going to be a hassle since I won't check them and I put them in my
GS>carry-on. I just went to Chicago today and didn't have a probem at KC
GS>airport. Not even a mention. I had more trouble taking the car seat
GS>through the gate security (wouldn't fit through their conveyor system).

Diabetic needles are specifically exempted.  That's the only thing I've
been able to find for sure.  Regular needles seem to be on an
airport-by-airport basis.  I'll leave the needle card (with things like
the 2" half-circle quilting needles, and 6" sculpting needles) in checked
luggage, but I expect I'll be able to get a few of my smaller conventional
needles through... and if not, well, they're cheap.

When Nathan was of a portable age, it often occurred to me that he'd be
the ideal cover for a shoplifter, at least for certain items (and at
certain times of the year).  We always came into stores with an array of
blankets and whatnot, and I often gave him stuff to check out while we
were shopping... he'd hold small cans, whatever.  I always had to frisk
him and his carrier in the checkout line to make sure we weren't
forgetting anything.

-- 
Karen J. Cravens  silver@phoenyx.net

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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

> When Nathan was of a portable age, it often occurred to me that he'd be
> the ideal cover for a shoplifter, at least for certain items (and at
> certain times of the year).  We always came into stores with an array
> of blankets and whatnot, and I often gave him stuff to check out while
> we were shopping... he'd hold small cans, whatever.  I always had to
> frisk him and his carrier in the checkout line to make sure we weren't
> forgetting anything.

Many a profession shoplifter has used a baby for exactly that.  It's
*very* touchy, even if you have them on tape sticking the stuff under the
blankets.

-- 
Michael Feldhusen
mike_f@io.com



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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Michael Feldhusen wrote:

MF>Many a profession shoplifter has used a baby for exactly that.  It's
MF>*very* touchy, even if you have them on tape sticking the stuff under the
MF>blankets.

It also occurred to me, more than once, that I was in WalMart with a
WalMart-purchased blanket, WalMart-purchased binky, WalMart-purchased
clothing, WalMart-purchased coat, WalMart-purchased diaper, and
WalMart-purchased toys.  Could I produce receipts for everything? Then it
occurred to me how rarely I cleaned out my purse, and I decided I probably
could.  Or at least enough to be pretty convincing.

I think I set foot in WalMart *maybe* twice a year before Nathan was born.
Now I walk in the store and the employees yell "Hi, Nathan!"  Furrfu.

-- 
Karen J. Cravens  silver@phoenyx.net

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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

On Thu, Jul 10, 2003 at 03:02:20PM -0500, Guy Swartwood wrote:
> My wife was concerned that my insulin supplies (syringe and pen needle)
> was going to be a hassle since I won't check them and I put them in my
> carry-on. I just went to Chicago today and didn't have a probem at KC
> airport. Not even a mention. I had more trouble taking the car seat
> through the gate security (wouldn't fit through their conveyor system).

My wife carries on needles with mediation all the time; I don't think she's
ever had a problem with it.  Early on, I believe she had a doctor's letter,
but I don't think she even bothers with that any more.

-Rob

-- 
-=-=-= Rob Knop =-= rknop@pobox.com =-= http://www.pobox.com/~rknop =-=-=-
     Help the EFF protect basic freedoms online: http://www.eff.org
 Playwrights & theatre types, see The Dramatic Exchange: http://www.dramex.org
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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

Well, it looks like somebody tried it (accidentally), but since she also
had scissors and whatnot, it's not clear if the felting needles would have
been allowed.

And a lot of cross-stitchers talked about taking their stuff... but some
of them put their needles in their coats along the zippers.

I gotta get a thread-cutter or blunt scissors, though.  Or take my dental
floss pack in carry-on.


IIRC, when this came up on some costuming lists I'm on, some people mentioned 
that they'd been able to bring sewing needles that were threaded and stuck 
into their project on a plane.  I'd still recommend calling first, though.

Leah
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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

And right after sending my earlier reply, I found a link on one of those 
costume lists:

http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=12 

You can download a PDF of what's allowed and what's not, though there's a 
disclaimer on the site that screeners have the final say.

Or, on the same list, someone pointed out that if you have a metal ballpoint 
pen that unscrews, you can stash a couple sewing needles inside and it'll go 
through X-ray just fine.

Leah
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(Gather) So as the time approaches...

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 LLWatts@aol.com wrote:

>You can download a PDF of what's allowed and what's not, though there's a
>disclaimer on the site that screeners have the final say.

I couldn't find anything in that that specifically disallowed sewing
needles.

>Or, on the same list, someone pointed out that if you have a metal ballpoint
>pen that unscrews, you can stash a couple sewing needles inside and it'll go
>through X-ray just fine.

I had a couple scattered throughout my sewing bag/purse, and they didn't
even blink at them in Wichita, which I pretty much expected.  St. Louis we
didn't get outside security (I think I've never actually had to go through
St. Louis security), so all that remains is the flight back now.

-- 
Karen J. Cravens  silver@phoenyx.net

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