As you may know, I am using stash (quite small) to start/finish projects. Well, I’ve kinda been lax in completing my fifth pair of Monkey socks --kinda “Monkeyed” out. Love the pattern but just needed a break.
Well, a couple of days ago, with 10 rounds of ribbing already done, I spent 5 1/2 hours (we got to leave early) with my sock. By the time I left the courthouse, I was mid-way on a short row heel. And that was a couple of days ago; where it still is. Just think, I might have finished it if we had stayed the other 2 1/2 hours! 
Most courthouses now don’t allow knitting needles as far as I know. I know mine doesn’t. I have been ‘on call’ for jury duty this week and there is a disclaimer on the first day saying no knitting needles. :shrug:
I had put it in a ziplock; and when(if) we have to leave the assembly room and go to a courtroom, it stays behind until our return. But no one was ever called, so I knitted…and knitted…
They won’t even let us take it into the court building much less the courtroom itself. A friend was able to take a crochet hook recently though.
It is definitely something you need to check out at your particular courthouse. It can also depend if it’s a local, state, or federal court. Best to be prepared to take your knitting back to your car and have backup activities available.
I haven’t had jury duty in oer 15 yrs I guess - but sitting and knitting all day is a great way to make progress on a project you’ve been struggling with!
I was called for jury duty in June of this year. I thought it was both wonderful, because I had never had jury duty before, and what a great time to knit. I carefully packed my sock into a zip lock bag so they could see what I had and there would be no problem. WRONG! When I walked into the court house and went through the metal detector, I layed the little baggy on the scanning thing and was immediately told to take it back to the car. Sigh…no knitting needles of any kind alowed into our court house.
I’d love to know if there has ever been a case of knitting needles used as weapons.
I’d love to know if there has ever been a case of knitting needles used as weapons.
No kidding! How ridiculous.
Ha! I j[I]ust finished my first jury duty on Wednesday. I asked the security if wooden needles were allowed and he gave me this “you stupid woman” look and said “well you’re not going to have a lot of time and don’t’cha think it would be a little distracting in the jury box?”
I gave him a “you stupid man” and said (sweetly, I might add) “Well of [/I]course I wouldn’t knit in the jury box, that would be rude!”
I got almost 30 rows done by the way. And was the youngest on the jury. And they elected me forman. Niiiiiice…
1 Like
I don’t like jury duty and I get called up quite often. I’ve never been selected for a jury, but still the selection process takes all day and it is so boring. The waiting is awful. It would be wonderful if we could bring knitting to pass the time; however, we can’t bring anything other than reading materials.
I still think pens and pencils are just as dangerous as a knitting needle, but I haven’t seen anyone have to surrender their writing tools.
I had no problems (in New York City) with plastic knitting needles but the metal detector flagged my little embroidery scissors. I did the innocent Granny act and somehow convinced the officers that you can’t knit without cutting the yarn, right? It worked. I left the scissors at home the next day, though. It was great to have my knitting with me during the hours of waiting, but we were told to put away books, knitting, computers, etc., during the examination phase.
Out here in laid back Oregon 
we’re allowed to take knitting in. Of course you can’t knit ‘in the box’ but then, you can’t have pen or paper, either. What’s up with not being able to take notes? Don’t they KNOW some folks memories are hazy?
I’ve been called up three times in the past two years, but never had to go in. You call the night before, and they let you know whether to drop everything in your life to sit on a jury.
My Dad, this was thirty years ago, told the judge he couldn’t be on the jury because he couldn’t read, which was a lie, he couldn’t read well. He actually had hemmorhoids, but didn’t want to say that in a room with women in it. The judge looked at him, and said, “That’s OK, neither can the lawyers.” My poor Dad had to sit through a twelve day trial.
Here in Baltimore County, we also call in the evening before to see if our number is in the range of those who are to report. They have a one day/one trial system: you’re there, you’re selected for a jury for its’ duration (or not) OR you all just hang out in the assembly room, because something/someone in the possible cases have determine you are not “needed” (due to a settlement or postponement). That being said, after reporting, we have satisfied our duty and will be eligible again in 3 years.
When I called, I listened to what was not allowed (firearms, knives, scissors, etc.) and I can’t remember if I took knitting the last time. But this time, I pared everything down in the ziplock: 2 Harmony 16" circulars, yarn, instructions. And left the first sock, the darning needle, and scissors at home.
I can see it now, you are innocently knitting and a crook lunges at you and swipes your needle, turns around and sticks the guard and runs up and gets the judge. Can’t you see how this could happen? :teehee:
If TSA will let you take knitting needles on a plane, why wouldn’t they be able to go in a courtroom? That doesn’t make any sense (I’m not saying I don’t believe it’s true, I’m sure it probably is in many places). The only time I’ve been called for jury duty since I became a knitter was in Los Angeles County and basically you call each day for a week to see if your number is up. Mine never came up so I didn’t get to find out what is and isn’t allowed. :shrug:
I took a trip (flying) to Utah this weekend to see my Dad and several people approached me while I was knitting at the gate. They all couldn’t believe that I got my needles past security and wanted to know how I did it. They all looked peeved when I told them they were allowed. I promised not to poke anyone. :mrgreen: AND I pointed out that my knitting needles (KP options) are pretty tame compared to an 8" screwdriver (also allowed). Now THAT could do some damage.
We get called two ways …either/or not both -
-
Call in - you call after 5 and they either send you to the court the next day or you call again. After 5 days you are released.
-
You are just told to go to court at a certain time. If go the day w/o being put on a jury your duty is done and you are released.
The last few times I’ve just had call in and both times released before I was sent to court.
I had jury duty just last month. I was also called 3 years ago. At that time I was on the Grand Jury and got to go everyday for a month. We were allowed at that time to knit. However, this time I packed everything quite neatly into a ziploc bag and was told I could pick it up at the end of the day. They did say I could crochet though, which did me no good since I was knitting mittens at the time. I felt really stupid when I looked at the subpoena and saw that they specifically said no knitting needles allowed. But I survived!
If I’m ever chosen to be on an actual jury, I wouldn’t expect to be able to knit, or have it with me. But my experience is being in the [U]assembly[/U] room, waiting to be called to go to a courtroom. We have to leave the knitting behind with the clerk (along with cellphones). So my knitting would never reach the same area as the accused/defendant.
No knitting needles in our courthouse either. But there is free wireless, so I took the laptop and read KH 
I did read a mystery years ago in which the character was killed by someone stabbing a fine metal knitting needle into her ear to her brain as she slept, and another one more recently where the needle was stabbed into the person’s spine at the base of the neck, so it has been thought of, if not actually done.