A good rule of thumb is to never travel with anything you can't afford to lose - crafting or otherwise. Some relatives of mine were recently reminded of this when they had to choose between leaving their clothes and other belongings or purchased souvenirs behind when leaving Cairo on a government-arranged flight. I'm assuming you guys have seen the news recently. :) They had a strict one-suitcase per passenger rule. Whatever you decide, I would suggest following TSA guidelines, but not being heartbroken or particularly surprised if something you take has to end up in the trash. I always take short scissors with me when I travel, but if a TSA agent tells me to throw them away, I will do so without hesitation or complaint.