Knitting needle organizer
Over the years, I have collected a lot of knitting needles. I never had a good way to organize them. They end up all over the place: my knitting bags, drawers, desk, the car. And because I can’t find the size I needed for a given project, I would end up buying another pair. Apparently, I have done a lot of projects using size US 6 needles, because I have a slew of them. I also discovered I am missing one of my US 2 straights. I have a sneaking suspicion that Ruby the beagle may have something to do with its disappearance.
This weekend, I took a break from knitting and sat down at the sewing machine. It is my mom’s old Singer FashionMate – from the days when machines were made of metal. This thing is a beast! Works flawlessly – sews through super thick fabric like it was a lightweight cotton. The only thing I wish is that I could find the pattern disks. My mom didn’t buy them when she purchased the machine, and now it seems they are harder to find than hens’ teeth.
I had seen needle organizers at NY State Sheep and Wool in Rhinebeck and at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. I knew I wanted a case that would hold all my needles: straight, double point, and circular.
To make the case, I used scraps of upholstery fabrics. I wanted the fabric to be durable and heavy weight enough that the needles would not poke through. The pockets for the straight needles are 1.5 inches wide and the other pockets are 3 inches. I used snaps for the closure, but I may sew on a tie to add some interest to the outside as well as give a little more security and prevent it from opening accidentally. I would not want to play pick up sticks with all the needles 
