Knitting supply care

Don't you hate starting a knitting project and finding ONE of the needles you need? How about sitting down on the sofa and hearing the snap of another needle biting the dust? Keep your needles handy and clean. Some of these holders you can make yourself from things you already have around the house. Others can be purchased or made for very little money. Once made, some can be stored away, others can display your collection.

The most important place to start is with an inventory. Get out every needle you have, make sure it has a match and make a list. Divide the list by type - straight, circular or double pointed - and then write down the size and length of each pair. Keep this list in your wallet so that if you spy a bargin you will be able to avoid duplication.

Take a look around your kitchen, many storage solutions can be found right there. Used paper towel holders are just the right size to store several pairs of straight needles. Block one end with either some electrical tape or contact paper and use a small piece of fabric held with an elastic as a cover on the other end. If you have some odds and ends of decorative contact paper use it to decorate the tubes. This may also be a fun project to do with your children. They’ll get a kick out of decorating your holder. Then label the holder as to what sizes you will be using it for. These tubes will stack easily in a drawer or crafts box. This same treatment will work for turning toilet paper tubes into containers for your double points.

Tall pasta containers are another way to store your straight needles. You probably have some gathering dust in your basement right now. Just clean them up and add needles. These will look nice on shelves in your craft area or den.

Another item frequently given as a gift but rarely used that can be converted to needle storage is a jewelery roll. Usually these have plastic sections that close with zippers and the length makes them perfect for straight needles. You might want to use one of these for your more expensive wooden needles.

A quick trip to the drug or discount store will yield a large selection of pencil cases - either hard plastic or the soft zippered variety. These can be easily labeled and will stack well.

If you sew as well as knit you can create lovely, custom needle cases for yourself or to give as gifts. You will need a length of fabric and a short length of ribbon. Measure the longest of the needles you would like to store. Cut the fabric twice as long as that needle. Hem all four edges. Fold the fabric one third of the way to the top and sew the sides. Then sew one inch pockets for the needles vertically across the pocket you just created. (If you are going to be using this for needles size ten or larger make these pockets wide enough to fit.) Cut your ribbon in two and sew one to the center bottom and one to the center of the top flap.

Another storage solution for your favorite wooden needles, particularly nicely turned ones like Brittanys, would be a basket. Candle baskets are great for keeping your needles handy and decorating your hobby space. Just remember to put a piece of fabric as a liner in the bottom of the basket so that very fine needles won’t work their way through the basket’s weave. You may also be lucky enough to find vintage knitting bakskets or vinyl needle cases from the 40s and 50s to use for storage.

Circular needles don’t lend themselves to as many decorative options. Zip lock bags of various sizes will do the job and store easily.

Whatever option you choose remember to make that inventory and keep a needle gauge handy!