As I get ready for my next flight, I keep thinking back on my last flight, actually my last few flights. Now, I’ve never really considered myself a sinister looking person. I think I look like a slightly harried mom of two young children. I probably epitomize "Minnesota Nice."
Yet for some reason, when I get on an airplane and bring out my knitting needles, I scare people. It seems like whoever I am sitting by feels the need to ask me if it’s safe for me to bring "those things" on the plane. Then they always ask, "are you sure?" Almost always it is finally followed up with, "you know you can buy socks in the store for about $1?"
My answers are Yes. Yes. and Yes.
I usually explain that the size 1 needle that I am making the sock on is thinner than the lead of the pencil they are using to do Suduko with. If I were going to threaten someone with a knitting needle (and I have no intention of doing that) it wouldn’t be with a 4" long size 1 needle. I follow it up with a very official sounding comment about TSA allowing knitting needles on all domestic flights. What I haven’t said yet, but that I am extremely tempted to say, is that you my dear neighbor, are much safer having me sitting next to you with my knitting than without. Knitting keeps me sane.
So help me out, what would you tell the nosy person sitting next to me?
Knitting Up North 
I would not talk to them. I would just sit and knit, and hum patriotic music
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I say the same thing I do to people who ask me about knitting while watching tv: “We’ll both be sitting here for a couple of hours and by the time we stand up I’ll have a sock (or hat, or mitten, or part of a swearter) knitted . . . what will you have done?”
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LOL!! Every once in a while I get a question like that, but normal I just get asked what I am “crocheting”…. Even though I am knitting. Currently I’m contemplating what my next travel project will be
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Hee. I have no idea what I’d say because I almost *never* get asked what I’m doing when I knit while traveling! If I do get asked, it’s usually by another knitter who already knows what I’m doing and why, or someone who knows a knitter. Maybe people ask you *because* you look “Minnesota Nice” and maybe they don’t ask me because I look evil 😉 I get that sock question all the time too. Yes, I know I can *buy* socks for cheaper than I can make them. That’s not the point! Hope your trip is wonderful 🙂
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