i had to KNIT to get through airport security: storytime | kuriaknits

Hello! I'm Erin of the kuriaknits channel. I am thrilled to be sharing about all things knitting, yarn, dyeing, and fibre arts. ❤️💕
Find everything that I've talked about below.
|FIND ME|
Instagram: / kuriaknits
Ravelry: www.ravelry.com/projects/kuri...
[e-mail]
|VIDEO MENTIONS|
Sophie: The Knit Purl Girl
/ @theknitpurlgirl7842
Sweater No. 15 by My Favourite Things
www.ravelry.com/projects/kuri...
Tähkä cardigan by Sari Nordlund
www.ravelry.com/projects/kuri...
|ABOUT|
I live and knit in Southern Ontario with my husband and my terrier. The name kuriaknits comes from my last name - Kurian. Kurian has Indian and Syrian origins and I feel lucky every day that my husband shared it with me.

[@sandracroley9784]

That's quite the tale...it's truly crazy right now. I'm not going to go into detail 🙄, but I was pulled aside by security in Cuba a couple of years ago...they wondered if I was a singer because of an oddly-shaped item that showed up on the xray of my bag that they thought might be a microphone 🎤...it was not a microphone 😒😒😒😉

[@kuriaknits]

Oh no! Haha at least you got a fun story out of it.

[@CasualKnitter]

I'm binging now your videos while knitting and I'm giggling all the way

[@susanmorris7615]

WOW... what a story!

[@janestewart416]

Hysterical!! Not at the time but now! I've only been pulled aside once about knitting. I was flying to Iceland out of Washington DC and had my Lykke interchangeable set in my bag. She pulled it out, opened the case and started asking questions about it. I explained how they work and she said "WOW! That's pretty cool. Never seen anything like that before."

[@annegallant2786]

What a story! You would think that needles holding stitches of a project would be proof enough. Well done to knit a row under scrutiny! I was flying from Pearson to Winnipeg and was told to take the pliers out of my back pack. I didn’t know there were pliers in there! I was unloading everything on the table, I couldn’t find pliers in my pack, the security guard was looking like she thought I was trying to pull a fast one, and people were piling up behind me. Finally I found a tiny pair of jewellers pliers that I had taken to a dance venue to be able to fix dancers jewelry as needed. They were in the bottom corner of a pocket inside a pocket etc, hardly bigger than baby nail clippers! I had to take them out, put them in a self addressed envelope and go back out into the terminal to find a postal box! Seriously?!? I was going to a funeral and I didn’t think I looked much like a terrorist threat.

[@claudiacano4916]

Your story about having to prove you could knit is so funny. I think there are still places in Europe that only knit with straight needles, maybe that was the first time custom officers see a pair of circular needles.

[@janemellowes674]

That is my local airport and they are notorious for being over zealous in security.

[@rebeccainspired]

That's definitely the most memorable airport security story I have heard. I'd be like, ok can I keep knitting while you stress me out lol

[@cloudynookcrochet]

I loved listening to your story. I’ve crochet many times on the plane and only one time they confiscated my crochet hook when I flew internationally to Australia. So when I did my “walk about” in Melbourne I found a yarn store to replace my hook. Hi, my name is Laurie, channel cloudy nook crochet and I just subscribed to your channel. I look forward being yarnie friends.

[@vickishaw374]

What a story!

[@scarletm9091]

that's an INSANE story! too funny

[@shannonoliver5414]

That’s a crazy story. I haven’t traveled in 7 years so i don’t have a story but i would be so upset if i had to get on a plane without knitting or crochet. I don’t go anywhere without a project. 😊

[@apippin774]

i always take the tips off my needles land place them in with pencil and pen case and i never have a problem knitting on the plane after and id never bring my needle case on carry on! You are so lucky it wasnt taken away. I ck them

[@zikasilver1]

Hi!!! An airport had my mom knit before she could board once! It was in the States as we were returning home (also to Toronto Pearson). The flight there had had no problem with her knitting, but at the counter when we were checking in, the staff said she needed to have more knitting on her needles. So she had to knit a bit of a throw blanket she was working on.

[@kuriaknits]

Oh no way! Cool to hear someone had a similar experience.

[@copperlocs6569]

The algorithm really did it's job today. I'm still made about the Thailand airport that took my knitting needles. I still have the yarn unused from that project. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@SheilaElmes]

I never try to take knitting needles through security - circular or straight - too worried they’d confiscate them ..

[@1karenoliver]

I have never been stopped taking wooden needles and knitting on a plane! I have flown 10 times this year always knitting on board. Sounds like Manchester are a bit over zealous! Much easier going through security in London. However, the liquids in a plastic bag thing has been going on for years now so we just know to stuff them in before going through. I always set off the alarms though (think it's my underwire bra!) so always get frisked! 😂

[@kuriaknits]

Oh yeah, plastic bags have been a thing but I think on the way out? In Amsterdam they had new machines where they told you to keep liquids in! That's a lot of flying! Glad to hear you've had a good track record.

[@aloudjane137]

Ohhh my god this story made me laugh SO MUCH Thank god it was not a complicated lace pattern, that would have been impossible to knit spontaniously

[@KatieCake08]

That’s crazy! Manchester can be super strict with keepings liquids in bags. Luckily, you got to keep your knitting. I love your needle/hook o pouch! I’m searching for one just like that.

[@kuriaknits]

Knit picks! It was only $10!

[@victoriaguerin2851]

Next time don't take more needles than you need and unscrew them from the cord. Put the tips in the pocket of your handbag along with a couple of pens and you should be OK (from one medievalist to another).

[@annikak.837]

That's crazy! I knit a lot and mostly with metal needles since I like them better and have broken some plastic ones so wouldn't want to try my luck on wooden ones. But I own wooden DPNs and I can knit only socks on flights, it's so wrong! My needles aren't interchangables so I can't use the pencil trick... Wonder if it works with the chord attached...

[@DonnasWonderland]

Wow I’m from the UK I’ve never flown from Manchester though. However, Uk airports are HOT on liquids. I’m surprised Vaseline falls into liquids though it’s solid 🤷🏻‍♀️ perhaps hot in the weather we are currently experiencing though lol 😂. How bizzare you had to prove your knitting skills I mean you must have looked fishy lol 😂

[@marleemumu]

Sorry this happened to you but what a story to tell! The only time where I nearly lost a crochet hook was flying to Singapore about 10 years ago. Luckily I had checked baggage so i just slipped it into a side pocket on my suitcase. But it was a 10mm hook. I said to the person checking me in that I could do more damage with my pen than my chunky hook. Made absolutely no sense. I was just upset that I couldn't crochet for the 6hr flight.

[@kuriaknits]

You'd think a 10mm would be blunt enough to not be concern. It really seems to depend on the security person.

[@lornaoyarce1355]

I am so sorry this happened to you. My suspicion lies in that they were trying to make it so ridiculously uncomfortable for anyone to ever travel without paying for checked bags that you will never think to do so again. Also.... did you say "Medieval Conference"? What is that? Why have I never heard of such a thing? And how can I go?

[@kuriaknits]

A medieval conference is a place where academics (and enthusiasts!) come together to give papers, and talk history. I'm getting my PhD in medieval history so they are a great place to meet colleagues and keep up with scholarship. It is usually open to the public! The two big ones I know of are in Kalamazoo, Michigan and Leeds, England.

[@Lucy-vx2ls]

Wow! What a story! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[@soph7379]

I wonder if the airport security in Manchester is so tight because of what happened at the Arena 😕

[@kuriaknits]

Maybe! I hadn't considered that but it would make sense.

[@jlynnc9559]

I heard you take wooden needles and not metal.

[@lovemesomeslippers]

Since when is Vaseline a liquid? Huh? There was no way to prepare for these guys.

[@DonnasWonderland]

Wow I’m from the UK I’ve never flown from Manchester though. However, Uk airports are HOT on liquids. I’m surprised Vaseline falls into liquids though it’s solid 🤷🏻‍♀️ perhaps hot in the weather we are currently experiencing though lol 😂. How bizzare you had to prove your knitting skills I mean you must have looked fishy lol 😂