# organizing knitting needles



## full sun (Aug 6, 2005)

Hello-- I am new to this forum. I mostly lurk on the horse, goat and GC. 

I am trying to make good on my New Year's resolution to organize. However, I have a problem that has bugged me for years. Maybe you can help: How do you store/organize your knitting needles? I have tons of several different kinds and sizes. Right now, some of them are in a needle bag (a fabric folder with lots of pockets) but most are tangled and lost in a drawer. Help! Tell me how you sort them, please!!!

Thanks!
Jennifer


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

One of the best ideas for knitting needles and crochet hooks I've ever seen is from a Carol Duval show. She took a basket with a flat bottom; cut pieces of PVC pipe in various lengths (9" for the 10" needles, 11" for the 12" needles, etc.) and hotglued the pipe into the basket. 

I decided that putting a layer of that green floral foam in the bottom would be better for me...stick the needles into the foam inside the PVC pipe so they wouldn't rattle around. 
knitting needle basket 

The other thing I've done for years is stick them thru the plastic lid of a Pringles can.


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

I keep mine in a spaghetti storage container, but I just picked up some lovely tall cookie tins that will work nicely.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Bob brings home these wonderful round alum. containers from the lab that they would otherwise, brace yourselves....throw away! So look around you probably have very suitable containers in the recycle bin - anything somewhat tall for the long needles and something shorter for the dbl pns. Even generic flower vases work well - put the word out people that get flowers probably have tons stored in the back of the cupboard.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Years ago and I mean donkey's years ago, I was at a retreat and someone had a fishing bait case. It had little ziplock type baggies inside, much thicker though and this is the size of a little handled purse. You open it up and it had three rings and these baggies. It's fantastic for circular needles and DNP's. Ill try to take a picture and post it. I also like the look of straight needles sitting point down in a nice vase. I also have a few of those fabric rolls for straight and DPN's.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I like the PVC pipe idea. I keep my straights in a basket tied in pairs, but the shorter ones tend to get lost. I keep my circs in ziplock bags that are marked with the number and length. I punched a hole in the top corner of each bag and put them all on a binder ring. March, there now selling those fishing bait cases for knitters--at several times the price you'd pay in a sports shop!


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## full sun (Aug 6, 2005)

Thanks for all the ideas! Fishing bait cases--Perfect!!!! I love the idea of the pouches in a ring binder. Then you can flip through with ease. The PVC pipes seem ideal for dpns.

I have just organized my yarn. OMG! What an ordeal! Turns out I have a lot of projects ahead of me. 

Feels good to get organized!

Thanks again,
Jennifer


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Actually if you think about it most things sold for fishing would work well for knitters. All the tackle and bait keepers, things for winding fishing line (maybe). The easiest needles to keep and organize are the straight and DPN's the circulars are enough to give you a fit. Just go to the fishing store rather than a knit store to check this stuff out and you will pay half the price and it may not look very pretty but......


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## donsgal (May 2, 2005)

full sun said:


> Hello-- I am new to this forum. I mostly lurk on the horse, goat and GC.
> 
> I am trying to make good on my New Year's resolution to organize. However, I have a problem that has bugged me for years. Maybe you can help: How do you store/organize your knitting needles? I have tons of several different kinds and sizes. Right now, some of them are in a needle bag (a fabric folder with lots of pockets) but most are tangled and lost in a drawer. Help! Tell me how you sort them, please!!!
> 
> ...


I keep mine in a tall, skinny box and I use masking tape to stick the pairs together. LOL It's a little primitive but it works for me.

donsgal


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Cloverbud said:


> I keep mine in a spaghetti storage container, but I just picked up some lovely tall cookie tins that will work nicely.


CB brought me 2 last week. Last night i collected up most of my DPNs, bundled with a rubber band and stuck them into the cookie tin (imagine a metal Pringles can with metal top - one red, the other green - Loverly!!)


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## minnikin1 (Feb 3, 2003)

I have a pretty container full of copper BBs I just stick them into.


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