A pressing thing – hooks and needles. I need a serious storage solution for sure, but I don’t have a lot to spend. I have a little wooden 4 drawer deal, but I think that my circulars would catch on the inside and it would turn into a huge headache.
I have hooks and needles everywhere. It’s bad. I have them in my little clutches. I have them in ziplock bags. I have them in rubbermaids. I have them in piles. I have them in random drawers. It’s bad.
Basically what happens in that when I want to knit or crochet something I dig around for quite some time, get really frustrated because I can’t find what I know I have, and either decide to make something else (hinders my creative process for sure!) or end up having to go buy a set (not really what I want to be doing because I’m trying to save money and using what is on hand is what I am about and I end up with doubles).
First, To Share with You
Today I sat down and made up a chart in Excel which you can download as a pdf (to print out and fill in) or the excel document (for you to keep on your computer and alter. This is my first step towards cataloging and organizing my needles and hooks.
Second, Can You Help Me?
What do you use for your needles and hooks that works great? Or do you have an idea for something that you think would work great but haven’t tried it yet, comment about that too!
Post a comment with your best needle/hook storage solution. I would love your help with that!
And if I choose your idea, I’ll send you a special bonus thank you in the mail! So make sure to comment with your correct email so I can contact you! (yet to be decided depending on if you are a knitter, crocheter, or sewer)
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On Saturday morning I felt extra inspired and completely motivated to reorganize my studio. It’s been a long time coming really. I had an okay set up, but my loom – being crazy awesome massive – blocked a lot of the natural light coming from the nice big window in my studio area (the Craft Cave as Jason calls it, haha). The problem was how to move things around so I could get to all my supplies easily, get lots of light, have my loom free to unfold and use as needed, and have a nice open space around my drafting table so I don’t feel cramped. Hmm. It came to me in a flash on Saturday morning and before Jason woke up I had rearranged everything – quite the task. And then I vacuumed and reorganized and purged the things that had been piling up. You know those random piles of crap that don’t get put away because you aren’t sure if you will need them that day or next week – IOS as my friend Carolyn calls them or “islands of sh*t”.
I am left with needing to reorganize everything on my utility shelf. It really needs everything pulled off and gone through, not so bad. Maybe this Saturday?
Until tomorrow! Happy Crafting!
Kristin
I recently made a holder for my circular needles that hangs from a hanger, like the one from Stitch ‘N Bitch, and it works wonderfully. I can see at a glance which ones I have. For my hooks I just have a mason jar that they sit in. good luck organizing!
Kristin,
I have my needles in fabric needle rolls. I am sure you have seen them with lots of slots for needles and they roll up.
An idea to use your 4 drawer deal with the circulars. How about making draw string bags for them or make a needle roll with pockets instead of the slots? You could do rolls with 6 pockets per and they should roll nicely.
Just my 2 cents (or maybe 2 single crochets)!
Hi Kristen ~
First, I’m in the habit of keeping the sleeve or pouch that my needles come in so I can see SIZE #5 from across the room (this is important b/c visual acuity goes out the door after you turn 40).
Then I keep the whole bunch in a gallon ziplock – DPN, straights, all lenght of cirs, crochet hook – labeled #5/3.75mm. All the gallon bags go in acsending order in a small/med box. It isn’t sophisticated but it works for me.
If you come up with a method of organizing your “Islands of Shit,” please let me know! I would pay good money for that!
Cheers!
Michelle E.
I keep straight needles in a vase and in a tall tin that originally held 2 bottles of wine. Most of my straight needles were inherited from my grandmother and she kept them in the tin. I keep crochet hooks and DPNs in 2 smaller cylindrical tins (that originally held gypsy tea). Circs go in a small, sturdy paper tote bag/shopping bag.
I have made pouches for my Crochet hooks, and I am in the process of making a pouch for my straight Knitting needles. It has separated pockets for each size of needles, so I can keep track, and I am going to insert a little pocket so I can add the needle counting spreadsheet. The pouch rolls or folds up into thirds and is held closed by a ribbon. If you want a picture, contact me and I will email one to you.
Kandi :)
I was totally having this problem, too! I was worried I had a bunch of doubles around from back when I wasn’t as thrifty as I’ve become. When I finally got my yarn organized, I knew it was time to get my hooks and needles in order, too. I saw a beautiful organizer on etsy (https://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20690524) and decided to come up with something like that on my own. In the spirit of Craft Leftovers, I used the backside of an old pair of my husband’s jeans and an old tablecloth and made myself a hooks and needles organizer. Bonus: I was able to customize the sizes to fit what I have! It’s not very cute, but it works.
Duplicates is a big problem of mine- but the bigger issue is works in progress. Both of these issues have been “resolved” by an investment in Knit Pick needles. I can now keep the cables/tips well organized and take the tips off of projects leaving on the cables without having to switch to waste yarn, etc. I bought a second book for my other circular needles. More and more I am realizing that I am NOT a straight needle person- those I keep in a drawer and as they are labeled and color coded, finding them is not too difficult. I have the most issue with my DPNs- for those I use those “pig tail” holders for some and these cool card board cyclindars (also found at Knit Picks).
As for using what you have, I wonder if you could make your own compartmentalized zippered bags by using the sealer on a vaccuum bag sealer to melt the layers together? Freezer bags are more durable and with reinforced eyelets, I bet they would be sturdy enough for you to make a notebook for circulars.
My crochet hooks are kept in a drawer and cases. At this point I KNOW I have enough e-i hooks not to ever buy another and still have a few stashed in each pencil cup at my home and office- I’m amazed at how often I need a little crochet hook for something!
I keep my straight knitting needles in a wine bottle “box”, one of those nice ones that you gift wine in…I got it at Michaels one day for $1.
I keep my hooks in a zipped pencil pouch – the see thru kind so I know what’s in there. I bought a few from Staples on sale during the Back to School sales.
I put my circulars in there as well. Only two or three pouches tho, as I didn’t want a zillion pouches in my knitting drawer. I keep several different sizes of circs in each pouch.
All of my needles are in a big duffle bag that I got from a previous employer. I have two commercially made needle rolls for most of the straight needles. I have the remaining straight ones in a bulova box of my grandmothers. DPN’s are in an old “japanese-made” needle holder of my grandmother’s (plaid satin). My circulars are in their original packaging and then all together in a ziploc bag. My crochet hooks are kept in my “carry everywhere” bag. Wow, this all sounds so unsophisticated!!!
I have tons of needles. I used to manage a yarn store and so I have a huge yarn and needle stash. I have complete sets of knitting needles and crochet hooks in matching cases. I have a complete set of bamboo knitting needles and many, many other needles that are all standing in a 2lb. coffee can. I keep all my crochet hooks in a cylindrical container that came from Scotland with cookies in it. I keep my circular needles in size/length order in a shoe box. It is the perfect width. I also have a big tall candy jar by my ‘crafting’ chair with my most frequently used needles in it and a basket on the table by my chair with frequently used hooks etc.
I’m a little late to the party, but I thought I’d throw my hat in.
I’m partial to these pouches
https://kathrynivy.com/patterns/extras/needle-pouches/
for dpns and have even revamped the pattern and made a set to sell on my Etsy shop.
https://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21137534
I added a panel with the dpn size so I can grab without looking inside. I like to take just the needles I need for a project, so this works well for me.
I don’t use straight needles, and I’m still working on a circular solution…
My crochet hooks are still in a ziploc bag, but I’ll get them organized eventually.
I use a cd’s bider for my circulars. It contains 10 double wallets to store your lace bamboo circulars. I find it works well for me :)
needles needles everywhere!
I have a couple of storage solutions. I have a LOT of needles.
The straight needles I use most often are in a roll up holder I made myself. I marked the sizes on each section. I have a couple of sets of each size in each section – to allow for that starting-a-new-project-while-still-doing-the-old-one compulsion. This is my serious go-to knitting kit, when I know what size I need and I’m ready to grab it and get started.
Next, I have a lot of vintage, pretty needles arranged by colour in vases on the windowsill of my craft room. I also have wooden and glass ones here. They’re beautiful, and it’s inspirational to grab a pretty pair, find some yarn that goes well with and just knit and see what happens. It also lets me collect more needles that don’t fit into the roll!
My DPNs are in another, smaller, roll up holder I made.
Circulars aren’t a problem because I treated myself to a Denise knitting kit. Much tidier and less of a headache.
Huge chunky needles are kept in a drawer in the living room. I guess this needs work.
Crochet hooks are in a large pencil case. I hardly ever seem to use patterns for crochet, so I just eyeball a likely looking size from whatever’s in there.
Finally I have one enormous pair of knitting needles my Dad made me from a couple of broom handles. They sit proudly by my arm chair, like a crafter’s coat of arms. I love them.
So, I guess my storage tip is: some serious organisation for your go-to tools, and put the rest on display!
I use old paper towel rolls for my needles and hooks. I wrap them with fabric and cover the bottom with cardstock. Then I label them with the siz I’m storing in them. For the large fat needles and hooks, I use old coffee cans and decorate those too. They may not be able to be closed but in the end it all looks nice sitting on a shelf.
Like they said a few times, I made a holder from the Stitch N Bitch book and it works better than anything I’ve ever tried (for circulars). I use 2 different Offhand Designs clutches, one for straight, short knitting needles and one for crochet hooks. For my longer wood and glass needles I use the Lantern Moon rubber vases and a great big glass canning jar for my aluminum collection. It’s lovely!