Hand-sewn Knitting Needle Case!!

I had been lamenting the fact that I was neglecting sewing projects for quite some time.... probably most of 2014, in fact, so I decided to use some musty old fabric I got from an estate sale way back when and make something insanely useful out of it!!

After washing the fabric several times, the smell was (mostly) gone!

I searched online for patterns for knitting needle cases, but most of the ones I found were really small! I guess most people want something portable that they can take to knit night with them....or for trips.

But honestly, I wanted something EPIC. Something LEGENDARY. Something that could pretty much hold every single knitting needle I own (sans the ones that already came with cases.) Basically my problem was that I had sooo many knitting needles (straights, DPNs, and circulars) and they were pretty much just in a big freaking pile inside of a shoe box and some mini storage bins...and they barely even fit in those spots. So it was time to get my shit together and organize everything so that I could easily locate a certain needle type and size on the fly!!

And then this beautiful thing was born!

(Actually it's kind of hideous but w/e. It is FUNCTIONAL. So fuck yeah!!)

:D

I basically just sewed two different patterned fabric pieces together and used bias tape sewn down at intervals. I want to say I started out at ~0.25" or so intervals or maybe it was closer to 0.50" intervals... then I gradually increased to around 1" or so...and then I got a little bigger toward the bottom right hand side for my giganto needles!!

It's not perfect but oh well. It works for now. I literally spent 12 hours making this fucking thing. I did not have a pattern so most of it was guesswork! And I am mostly pleased with the outcome. I just need to find a way to hang it up now... well, I found an old curtain rod but I need to put a fixture on my wall somewhere to hang this bad boy. And then where to hang it? I have limited space, so it may just stay rolled up for now. That's the other thing I like about it. You can either hang it up or roll it up! Two different storage options. :D


After I had sewn the two pieces of fabric together and attached the bias tape at one end only, I laid out all of my needles according to increasing diameter size:


Then, once I had a really, really, REALLY rough guesstimate of how wide to sew, I measured with a gauge, marked with chalk, and began sewing my intervals:


After a little while I tried putting some needles in for a test-fit of sorts, just to make sure my guesstimate wasn't insanely off-base:


Behold, the finished product in all it's glory. Just not hanging up quite yet:


I must go back and upload more photos once I have it hanging!! :-D

Sorry there aren't more pics.... and I can't really say this is a tutorial either. Just my random photos here and there and a pathetic attempt at explaining what I did, LOL.

It was really annoying to sew this at first, and I was pretty much swearing at one point (well, I am always swearing so nothing new there) but truthfully I really hope I NEVER have to make another one of these again. It was soooo boring. And my back was aching by the end of the day. And yet when I finished, omg, the glory! It was soooooo worth the struggle!

I don't think it would have been faster/easier if I had been working to a pattern. In fact, I think it would have taken longer b/c of cutting out pattern pieces and so forth and having to really measure. I have found that when I sew stuff on my own, I actually tend to measure more than when I am working to pattern...IDK why. I figure they spent a lot of time proving out the pattern's functionality, so I don't have to be as precise, whereas if I am sewing on the fly, sans pattern, then I have to actually double-check my work to make sure I won't end up with a hot, flaming pile of shit. :D

So yeah, that's the saga of sewing my knitting needle case/holder/organizer thingy.

And now that I am still in the 'sewing zone' I would like to attempt to make my Sailor Pluto cosplay. I already have the wig for it. So now I just need to get my shit together and buy fabric. I already have one pattern I could use but I have a 2nd one on the way just in case...


That's all for now. And I promise I will try to write more in this damn blog, LOL. Despite my undying love for IG...