Do you have a good system for keeping your knitting needles organised? I’ve recorded a quick 2-minute video showing how I organise my knitting needles using this needle case.

You'll see how fixed circulars, interchangeable tips and cables, DPN's, cable needles and crochet hooks can all be neatly stored in one place.

If you've been on the fence about investing in an Alex Collins Knitting Needle Case, I think this short video will help you decide if it’s the right case for you.

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Storing Your Knitting Needles

I’ve seen several methods for storing needles. You can keep them in a binder or case with clear pockets, buy a rack with holes for DPN’s or thread fixed circulars through a hanging needle holder or organiser.

What’s great about using the case I’ve designed is you can safely store a variety of different needles and hooks all in one place.

The top flap keeps everything secure when the case is closed and it’s surprisingly compact considering the amount of needles it holds. It’s around 10” tall and 5” wide when closed.

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🌟 It’s a game-changer…🌟

“I’ve been meaning to write to tell you how much I LOVE the needle case I ordered last month!  The design is just perfect, and I’m amazed at how many sets of DPNs and circular needles I can fit in it!  It’s been a game-changer for my needle storage and organization.  Thank you!!”

— Amy-Jo, New York

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How I Use The Knitting Needle Case

There are 12 small pockets which are perfectly sized for interchangeable tips, DPN’s, crochet hooks and cable needles. I like to keep smaller fixed circulars with long cables in the bottom pockets too.

All my chunky needles with shorter cables are kept in the top pockets. I’ve found that I can comfortably store 3 large needles in each of the 5” (12.75cm) wide pockets.

The cables for my interchangeable needles are stored in their original ziplock bags and they too fit perfectly in the wide top pockets. 

TIP - Keep a needle gauge in one of the top pockets so it’s quick and easy to check the size of any needles without a clear marking. 

Handmade with Organic Cotton

As with all the bags and accessories in my shop, the knitting needle cases are constructed using organic cotton. That includes the tie closure and an organic cotton interfacing.

Every needle case is finished by hand as I sew the binding using a slip stitch for a neat, clean finish even on the inside. My logo is then hand stamped in the top corner.

There are three prints available, each screen printed from one of my original drawings.

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As a new designer I wrongly assumed using only organic fabrics would add another layer of complexity to the already overwhelming task of sourcing wholesale fabrics for my knitting project bags.

In fact, it simplified the process and made it much less overwhelming.

You might have found this in your own crafty endeavors. When you have even one constraint, such as yarn weight, finding a pattern and getting started gets infinitely easier.

Who knows where to start when you could do, well, literally ANYTHING.

Small Batch Organic Fabric Production

Early on in my search, I discovered this fabulous yarn dyed organic fabric which is the perfect weight for the bottom of my knitting project bags.

Before the fabric reaches my home studio it has already been in the hands of some very skilled craftspeople.

The fabric is produced in small batches by artisans in Kerala, India, who weave the fabric panels by hand using small powerlooms.

Eco Friendly Yarn Dyed Fabric

The green and grey fabrics are yarn dyed which means the yarn is dyed before weaving.

Two different shades can be used for the warp and weft which gives the fabric this beautiful duotone.

Can you spot the lighter and darker shades of green?

The organic cotton is dyed using low-impact dyes which are safe for the workers and water used in the process is reused to water crops, as it is filtered and treated before it leaves the dye house.

Any waste filtered from the water is dried in the sun and used as a fertiliser.

Will you be bold and add the new green Summer Berry knitting bag to your collection, or is the classic grey more your style?

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Have you been wondering which size project bag is best for your knitting or crochet projects?

I’ve recorded a quick 5-minute video comparing four different project bag sizes to help you decide which will be the perfect choice for the projects you’d like to store.

I show you how many skeins of yarn fit inside each bag and which projects they are ideal for.

If you've been feeling unsure about which bag to start with or what would be the most useful size, I hope this video helps.

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Size Guide

Sock Sack

1-2 yarn cakes

Suitable for socks and mittens.

Classic Drawstring Project Bag

3 x 100g skeins of fingering weight yarn.

Suitable for socks, accessories, toys and children’s wear.

Small Project Sack

3 x 100g skeins of fingering weight yarn.

Suitable for socks, accessories, toys and children’s wear.

Medium Project Sack

9 x 100g skeins of fingering weight yarn.

Suitable for tops, tees, and small adult sweaters and cardigans.

Large Project Sack

13 x 100g skeins of fingering weight yarn.

Suitable for adult sweaters, cardigans and blankets.

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I can guarantee you’ll find me screen printing the fabric for my Spring Bee knitting project bags the moment I spot a sign Spring is on the way. 

Usually, it’s a crocus pushing its way through the earth or I notice the days have got ever so slightly longer and the birds are singing when I wake up in the morning. 

Spring Bee Collection - Knitting Project Bags and Accessories

As with all my designs, the Spring Bee Collection started out as just a few floral sketches on paper that I turned into a pattern to be printed onto fabric. Initially, when working on this design it felt like something was missing as I played with the floral pattern layout, it just wasn’t working - then I had the idea to add the bees!

As temperatures being to rise in the spring, bees start venturing away from their hive in search of fresh nectar and pollen from plants like the crocus, so you are likely to spot a few buzzing around in early Spring. 

The bee illustrations bring this design to life and adding the gold pollen spots highlights them beautifully. The black ink prints nicely over the top and the contrast makes them pop too.

If you order something from the Spring Bees Collection I do hope you enjoy spotting the bees you’ll find hiding amongst the flowers.

All the pieces in my collection are screen printed using non-toxic ink and are sewn by me in the South East of England. I use organic cotton fabrics and thread so my work has as little negative impact on the planet as possible and waste is kept to a minimum.

You can watch a short video here, showing how I print and sew the drawstring knitting project bags for my shop if you want a peek behind the scenes.

Small items such as the DPN Cosies and Lavender Sachets can be made from small offcuts left behind by the larger pieces I make. It’s like a game of Tetris to see how many pattern pieces I can fit on each fabric panel!

If your projects and tools could use some organisation, visit the shop to see the full collection of Spring Bees bags and accessories and shop these beautiful storage solutions.

Spring Bees is a seasonal release available between March-May. If you’re viewing this post at another time of year, sign up for shop news below and you’ll be notified when collections are available.

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Lavender is well known for being a natural moth repellent which is why I started making and using these fragrant sachets to protect my yarn stash and hand knit sweaters.

Tuck these lavender sachets between precious pieces of knitwear and around your yarn, or carry them in your knitting bag to lightly scent your woolens.

Moths like dark cosy spaces so regularly playing with your yarn stash is actually a good idea if it’s not stored in sealed plastic containers or bags. Let the air circulate and get some light on your wool! 

While you’re having a rummage in your yarn stash and finding long forgotten skeins, give your lavender sachets a squeeze. This will release the lavender scent which is what deters the moths. Doing this regularly will keep your lavender sachets smelling great. 

If the fragrance has faded considerably in old lavender sachets, you can refresh them by adding a few drops of lavender oil.

Be sure to test the lavender oil on a scrap piece of cotton fabric before sprinkling a few drops on your Alex Collins Lavender Sachet. You want to make sure the lavender oil doesn’t stain or mark the cotton when it dries.

I find a good quality pure organic lavender oil such as Neal’s Yard Remedies works well to refresh the lavender sachets in my own stash.

Whilst I wouldn’t rely solely on lavender to stop moths in their tracks, there is some scientific evidence that lavender really can work as a moth repellent. Quite honestly I’m willing to try anything to prevent moths from getting to my yarn. It’s a bonus that using lavender as a moth repellent adds such a wonderful scent to my stash.

In a future post, I’ll share how I organise and store my yarn which is another layer of defense I employ against the dreaded moth.

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Set of Two Lavender Sachets

The lavender that fills these sachets is wonderfully fragrant and said to be a natural moth repellent. Tuck them between your precious knits or carry them in your knitting bag to lightly scent your woolens.

• 100% GOTs Certified Organic Cotton

• 100% Organic Lavender from Provence, France

• Approx: 3 1/4" (8.25cm) x 3 1/4" (8.25cm) x 3/4" (2cm)

Every sachet has been screen printed with non-toxic solvent-free black ink, hand stamped with my logo, and filled with organic lavender from a small co-operative of growers in Provence France.

They are lovingly made in the UK and shipped worldwide.

£10.00

Quantity:

Add To Cart

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Have you been wondering what knitters are talking about when they mention their knitting notions? Perhaps you’ve seen notions mentioned in a knitting pattern or on a knitting podcast or YouTube channel.

Notions is a word many people in the knitting community use when talking about the tools and accessories they have in their knitting kit. 

Even as a new knitter there are a few essential knitting notions you'll need right from the start to complete a project. 

These are the essential knitting tools I have in my notions pouch.

Essential knitting notions for your kit

• Tape Measure - A tape measure is essential for measuring your body and picking out the right size when knitting a garment. Patterns often instruct you to knit so many inches/cm before moving onto the next instruction which is when a tape measure comes in handy too.

• Darning Needles - When you finish a project you need to weave your ends in. Choose a needle with a large eye to make threading yarn easy. A bent tip is also helpful when working into small stitches.

• Stitch Markers - Removable and non-removable stitch markers are used to mark a point in your knitting such as the beginning of a round or where an increase or decrease is being worked.

• Snips or Small Scissors - Have a small tool for cutting yarn to hand.

• Needle Gauge - This is essential for checking the size of your needle tips if the size is not clearly marked on you knitting needles.

• Ruler - Fabric tape measures can stretch over time so you also need a small ruler that can be used to accurately measure stitches and rows, particularly when working out your gauge.

• Scrap Yarn - Fine yarns can be used to add a lifeline to your knitting or as a stitch holder.

• Sticky-Notes - A small notebook can be handy for jotting down knitting notes but sticky notes have a dual purpose which is why they are my notepaper of choice. Sticky notes that can be repositioned are perfect for marking your place in a pattern or keeping track of rows on a knitting chart.

• Pencil - I prefer to keep pencils in my notions pouch as there is less chance of getting pen ink on a precious project accidentally.

• T-Pins - These are used for pinning your project to the correct measurements when blocking. They can also be used with blocking wires to open out lace when blocking.

There are plenty more gadgets and accessories you can add to your notions kit, but these are the essentials you’ll need when building your knitting kit.

These tools I use all neatly fit into a small knitting notions pouch which is perfect for keeping these little bits all neatly organised. 

Being able to reach for this little bag and know all the tools I need are in one place is great. I love not having to hunt around for a tape measure or a pair of scissors since I put this little kit together for myself.

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