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Knitting Needle Minder Tutorial

Amber dreamed up this Knitting Needle Minder years ago as a personal solution to her circular needle woes. When we shared photos of Amber’s craft space, so many folks commented on this handy organizer. We decided to put together a tutorial, so you can make your very own! 

Knitting Needle Minder Hanging on a grey wall behind a cup of coffee and a sergerA few favorite reasons to store your needles this way: the cords on your circulars will get a chance to "relax" making them easier to work with. The sproingy needles pictured above just came out of their packages, but over a few days they will lose their kinks. Also, you'll always be able to easily see your needle inventory and find the perfect needle. 

Knitting Needle Minder Tutorial

Materials
3/4 yard each Base Fabric and Pocket Fabric
3/4 yard Peltex heavyweight fusible interfacing
3/4 yard lightweight fusible interfacing
Coordinating thread
Knitting Needle Minder Stitching Guide
Embroidery floss (optional)
4” length of ribbon or decorative cord (optional)

Our samples are made from Robert Kaufman Essex Jungle and Cotton + Steel Freckles Twinkle Metallic and Essex Rose with Cloud9 Woven Tales by Elizabeth Olwen. 

Tools
Cutting Mat
Rotary Cutter
Quilting Ruler
Water Soluble Pen or Chalk Pencil

Close up photo of the pink and black knitting needle minder with hand embroidered needle numbers

Cuts (length x width)
Pocket (1) 22” x 6.5”
Base (2) 22” x 9.5”
Heavyweight Interfacing (1) 21” x 8.5”
Lightweight interfacing (1) 22” x 6.5”
Hang Tab (1) 4” piece ribbon OR (1) 4” x 1.5” from Base fabric

All seam allowances are 1/2” unless otherwise stated.

  1. Assemble Guide. Before getting started, you need to assemble your Knitting Needle Minder Stitching Guide. There are 3 overlapping sheets that you need to tape together. It may be helpful to hold the sheets up to a light source to ensure they are perfectly aligned.

  1. Trace. On the non-adhesive side of your lightweight interfacing trace the needle size numbers from the assembled Knitting Needle Minder Stitching Guide. You can optionally use machine embroidery to indicate the needle sizes on the pocket. If you plan to do that, you can skip this step. Also, using a water soluble pen or chalk pencil, transfer stitch lines from the guide to the front side of the pocket piece. 

  1. Apply Interfacing. Iron your lightweight interfacing to the back side of your pocket fabric. Center your Heavyweight interfacing on the back of one the Base fabric pieces and iron in place.

  1. Embroider.  Using a back stitch, embroider the needle sizes you traced onto the pocket. If you are planning to use machine embroidery or some other technique, now is the time! Use your creativity and make it your own,  just keep your designs at least 1/2” from the edges of the pocket.

 

  1. Pocket Assembly. Fold one of the long edges of the pocket piece under 1/4” so wrong sides are together. Press the fold another 1/4” and edge stitch down the fold. Repeat for the second long edge of the pocket piece. 

  1. Tab Assembly. (optional) If you are constructing your own tab, press your hang tab fabric in half along the 1.5” edge. Open this fold and press the two 4” raw edges into the center fold and press. Fold back along the original fold encasing all the raw edges. Edge stitch down both long edges of the Hang Tab. 

  1. Attach Hang Tab. Along the top, short edge of your non-interfaced Base piece, measure in 4.75” from the edge and make a mark with a Water Soluble Pen or Chalk Pencil. Align the raw edges of the Hang Tab on either side of the mark forming a loop that faces toward the Base piece.  Baste in place with a 3/8” seam.

  1. Attach the pocket. Place the Assembled Pocket centered on top of the interfaced Base piece with the wrong side of the pocket facing the right side of the Base piece. The short side of the pocket should sit 2” in from either side of the Base piece. 

  1. Base Assembly. Place both Base pieces right sides together with the Hang Tab edge alighed with the -0 end of your pocket and stitch around all 4 sides, leaving a 14" opening along one of the long edges for turning. Trim the corners and turn the Base so that right sides are facing out. Iron open seam flat so it aligns with the rest of the edge and pin or clip in place. Topstitch at 1/4” all the way around the edge of your Needle Minder.

  1. Stitch Needle Pockets. Stitch through all base and pocket layers of the newly assembled Needle Minder along the 15 remaining stitch lines you transferred in Step 2 on the front of your pocket. You will have originally transferred 17 topstitching lines, but the top and bottom lines should be stitched from when you topstitched the base in Step 9.

Comments on this post (2)

  • Jul 01, 2020

    LIFESAVER! And money saver! After finding a similar one on line (for mucho $$$), it sold while I was interring my cc information. Further search discovered this pattern. Happy Dance!!! Can’t wait to get started…Thanks!

    — Connie Harbor

  • Apr 07, 2020

    Made it and love it! Thanks for such an easy tutorial!

    — Sarah Pingel

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