Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Glasswork in Nairobi

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enviro19More glass from around the world. This stop is Kenya, where our President here in the US has family. The glass shop is in Nairobi, opposite the Nairobi National Park. It’s the Kitengela Glass Studio and they make some absolutely wonderful work. There are beads and jewelry and blown glass and mosaic work and stained glass. It’s more like, what don’t they have? the concept for the studio is inspiring. They use recycled materials, give back to their community, offer scholarships, help fund the local orphanage among other things. They are an example of all that is right in how a studio can be run.

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The founder of the glass facility is Nani Croze and her and her family have created a community of artists that make amazing art, are paid fair wages and give so much back to their community while being conscientious to their surroundings and environment. Check out they’re web site and see about a Nairobi glass vacation!

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How to Travel with Cross Stitch

Cross stitch is not a craft I generally travel with (since I’m not that good at it, I prefer not to be moving while I’m doing it) but I’m sure there are lots of stitchers who would like to take their projects with them when they travel. 

Koekoek has a post all about cross stitching on a plane, which is a great plan since it’s lots of uninterrupted time to work. As mentioned in the post, you should be able to bring embroidery needles (which tend not to be that sharp anyway) on an airplane with you. 

Regulations in the United States say that scissors with blades up to 4 inches/10 cm are allowed in the cabin, but whether they are allowed by security as you pass through it is up to their discretion. And thread cutters that use a razor blade are not supposed to be allowed at any time. 

Alternatives include bringing nail clippers to snip your threads, or pre-cutting thread and placing it on bobbins so you can stitch on the plane. Then pack scissors in your checked bag so you can cut any loose ends or extra long strands later. 

Check out the post at Koekoek for more tips on traveling with cross stitch and suggestions for projects to pack when traveling. I’ve also written in the past about this post from Caterpillar Cross Stitch about traveling with cross stitch supplies and, importantly, what to do to make your screening as smooth as possible. And, importantly, what to do if the security agents question your supplies or want to confiscate anything you brought. 

And that’s a great tip, too: if you are packing scissors in your carry on but you’re also checking a bag, pack extras there just in case. 

Do you have any tips for traveling with cross stitch projects? I’d love to hear them. Also check out my post about planning a travel stitching kit.