Can You Stitch and Ride?
Monday July 20, 2009
I flew from Birmingham, Alabama to Omaha, Nebraska via Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas recently. Before my trip, I planned my stitching project, of course. I had to keep in mind that I cannot use a pattern when I am in motion in a vehicle. It makes me have motion sickness. The last thing I want to do is use that little bag on the plane.
After I landed, I went on a four day road trip with my sister and her kids. So, I was in the car a lot too. When I wasn't sleeping, I stitched. Since the motion sickness issue applies in the car too, I stitched a block pattern on my fabric and filled it in with whatever stitches struck my fancy. I will share a photo when I get the first part finished.
What about you? Can you stitch in a car, on a plane, in a train? Do you like green eggs and ham? Sorry got a little confused there - Anyway, does stitching make you sick or are you fine? Vote in the poll and let us know. Use the comments section below to share your thoughts on this topic.
After I landed, I went on a four day road trip with my sister and her kids. So, I was in the car a lot too. When I wasn't sleeping, I stitched. Since the motion sickness issue applies in the car too, I stitched a block pattern on my fabric and filled it in with whatever stitches struck my fancy. I will share a photo when I get the first part finished.
What about you? Can you stitch in a car, on a plane, in a train? Do you like green eggs and ham? Sorry got a little confused there - Anyway, does stitching make you sick or are you fine? Vote in the poll and let us know. Use the comments section below to share your thoughts on this topic.
Comments
I can stitch and ride in a car, but it is like working in slow motion as it is harder to focus on the pattern and the fabric, I have to be more careful with the needle, etc. Also, there is usually less elbow room. So, it’s possible, but not really enjoyable.
I hadn’t considered blocking out some areas beforehand and then filling in. That would be much easier and give me something to do. Thanks for the idea!
I must be weird then
I have no problems stitching on planes with a pattern, but put me in a car and I will get motion sickness. Annoying!!
I thought we are not allowed to take things using needles and scissors on a plane. I have not taken stitching with me for that reason. But I can do it in a car. I just have to remember to look out the window often.
If I read or stitch or do any close work while riding in a car I don’t feel good, but if I stop and look out the window then I don’t actually get sick. I can stitch while on a plane (check with your airline for restrictions: last summer on a trip to Germany a pair of scissors smaller than 4″ was allowed but a thread cutter with internal blade was not!) I have found that if I wear something called an acupressure band on each wrist then I don’t get sick, and if I forget to put them on at the start of the ride, I can put them on when I start to feel sick and the feeling goes away. I was sceptical about whether these bands would work, but I bought them anyway, just to try them, and they are wonderful. (I bought them in the drug store next to the motion sickness pills.)
connie, you are so funny. when I do crochet in the car, i’m usually okay for about 10 mins, but as soon as I look up, things get a bit woozy.
Plane is easy, very smooth unless there is turbulence. Get a good pair of kids blunt, plastic scissors. Airlines very intolerant of knitting needles of any kind, some do accept cs needles. Plastic or acrylic crochet hooks, no problem.
Motorhome cs isn’t too bad, but car (I do it)is a little bouncy. Exceptionally bad roads in So Cal, so it is very slow.
I used to suffer greatly from motion sickness, but over the years it’s diminished. I can stitch in the car. Hardanger is the easiest to do in the car (not the cutting part) because it’s generally one color, over 4 threads, geometric and symmetrical.
I don’t have a motion-sickness problem (reading in a moving vehicle is no problem at all for me), but I do have trouble aiming the needle correctly!
I can stitch in a car or while traveling, but I generally outline a section and then fill it in for busy work. Trying to read a pattern while riding doesn’t give me motion sickness but it does give me a nasty headache
I can stitch in any moving vehicle without getting motion sickness (also read or crochet) but cross stitch in the car isn’t very successful because of unpredictable bouncing. Not good when you need as much magnification as I do. Knitting isn’t too good either, but I’m not a skilled knitter anyway so I’m not likely to be trying that.
I haven’t had many problems taking needlework onto a plane, except they want to look at the scissors. Last time I had a pair of those for ripping that are blunt with a hook on one blade. That caused some consternation in the Dublin airport but everybody else passed them without a glance. It is up to the individual screener, so you never know. Don’t take your good Ginghers or Dovos.
I never have any problem stitching or knitting in a car, on a plane, in a bus…whatever. But if I am reading intently in a car and THEN look out the window right away from the page, I will feel queasy–but if I have a stick of gum, a lozenge or drink then I’m OK. Last fall I flew with my knitting and bought wooden knitting needles–I had read that metal ones often are not allowed and plastic ones can sometimes be a problem, but that wooden ones were OK (I think this was advice from either TSA’s website and/or on the Knitting site here on about.com). I had absolutely no problems with them on any of my flights–so I will always bring wooden knitting needles with me from now on. (These were domestic flights, BTW.)
I don’t get motion sickness anywhere, lucky me. However, there isn’t enough elbow room on a plane to stitch, so I read a book. On the other hand, my hubby says that I stitched from Florida to Boston on one trip and had to stop at every Wal-Mart along the way to buy more floss.
@Maggie: That’s funny about the Boston trip! We just took a road trip to FL from GA and I asked to stop at the Wal-Mart in Valdosta “just to look around” for another crafting project! LOL.
I used to have trouble reading a pattern when riding, but I figured out that the problem was looking down for it. Now I attach it to the sunvisor or the back of the seat in front with straight pins, and stitch to my heart’s content!
I usually go for a simpler pattern, just for ease of packing it, but I did Teresa Wentzler’s “Tempest” over several trips to Chicago by car.
When my husband and I travel by car, I sit in the backseat where I can spread all my cross stitch projects and knitting around. I wear 2.50 magnification reading glasses, and have no trouble stitching. I can’t fly because of fear of flying. I keep all my travel projects in a special tote bag so they’re always ready to go.
I’d never heard of anyone getting carsick until I went on a school trip to the mountains (must come from living in a very flat state). I have no problems stitching in cars, planes or on boats. I once read a book while having lunch in the galley of a small yatch while it was at sea. The captain said he’d never seen anyone do that!
I commute by train and bus, and often stitch on the way. The only problem I have with using a pattern is juggling it and the project on my lap and in my hands. What I usually do is (1) small projects, like bookmarks, and (2) repeating patterns. Once I have the first iteration of the pattern in place, I can use it as reference for the rest. One of my other tricks is to lay in half cross stitches in an area, and then go back and fill in the other half stitches while in transit.
I have cross-stitched in cars and planes but have to take motion sickness medicine anyway so I don’t have any problem.
What I want to know is how did you get the scissors on the plane! They confiscated mine the last time I tried to fly with a cross stitch project. Tiny little scissors didn’t even have a sharp point on them because they were the kind that are used to trim baby finger nails!
I can stitch for short periods of time, if I can frequently look up at the horizion. Reading is the same. However, I usually get woosy just riding if I cannot look forward through the windshield often. If I can’t see out the front, I close my eyes and attempt to sleep, otherwise it can get messy!
It sounds crazy, but I was told that, to prevent motion sickness, put cotton wool in your ears. I did so from Australia to Europe and return without any problems whatsoever.
I read, stitched, crocheted, slept and could hear all sounds clearly, even the movie. It’s supposed to balance the middle ear, which is the cause of dizziness, etc. Whatever it is… it worked very well.
I use childrens scissors to get around the TSA rules for airlines. I always travel with stitching to work on I do fill in work or stitch pins / ornaments on plastic canvas in the car. It is much harder to get the needle in the proper hole on fabrics.
I enlarge any pattern I use to make it easier to stitch then highlight what I have stitched which makes it easier to follow. I save outlining for travel or TV watching. I have given some of my “take alongs” away during my travels to strangers. Some ladies never thought about it, and talked about how they did it when they were young.
I have been taking Fiskars children’s blunt metal scissors on planes-both domestic and international since 9/11 and have never had any taken away.
I’m able to stitch on planes and busses, not so well in cars because of the lack of smoothness.
I normally travel home to Peterborough from Exeter(UK) every two weeks by coach which takes six hours and if I didnt have cross stitching I dont know what I would do! Ive met some fellow cross stitchers as well who were very impressed and said they couldnt do the same becuase they got motion sickness.
The great news is…Im about to finish one sampler in time for another for my friend’s brithday. Trouble is…I will relocating back home permanently soon so I ll have to find some other excuse to get on a coach so do so much hours of cross stitching ahhhh…it is bliss.