Knitting needle cases – a family tradition

I finished the knitting needle case for my sister and got it in the mail Monday morning.  I’m quite thrilled with how it looks.

 

 

I was asked for some info on my pattern.  WELL….. my mother-in-law was a hugely avid knitter.  Quite a few years ago my DH made her this knitting needle holder….

   

It is made from smoke tanned moose hide, bound with lacing When my mother-in-law passed away my DD #1 inherited her case and needles.  DD#2 inherited her unfinished knitting projects!

Then my DH made me this knitting needle holder

It is made out of some kind of vinyl with satin lining.  Not beautiful but very functional.  You’ll notice it’s the same pattern….

A few years ago I decided DD#2 needed a knitting needle case and I made her this one…

The beige fabric is  a fake suede and a bit heavier than cotton.  I didn’t use any batting.

So you can see that my pattern evolved from the original one designed by my DH!  Here are measurements and other info for the most recent needle holder:

Finished 19 “ wide x 24 “ high.  If I was doing it over I would make it two inches shorter but keep all the other measurements the same.

Flap 5 1/2 “.  Tall Pocket 11 “.  Short Pocket 4 “.  Tie 33 1/2 “.  Needle slots are spaced 1 “ apart.  My DD #1 told me that it would be good to have a couple of slots that were wider for large needles. 

I made the back as a pocket (right sides together, sew three sides, turn right side out) with light batting.  I quilted the flap with a stipple but didn’t like the white thread on the outer fabric.  I quilted the centre portion by quilting along the white lines on the black and white fabric.  The bottom part was quilted in straight lines, on the middle of the needle slots, then the lines to separate the needle slots filled in between.  The bottom was left open, the pockets bound along the tops, then after the pockets were sewn down (with the lines creating the slots) the whole bottom was bound.  You could just bind around all four sides as I did with DD #2’s case.  Hope this makes sense.

Women’s Ceremony by Netta Williams

Women dreaming by Audrey Martin Napanangka

Both for M & S Textiles Australia.

Beige fabric is Crackle by Kathy Schmitz Studio for Moda.  Brown fabric is Elements by Print Concepts.

Postscript…My sister and I have been estranged for some months and I made her this case for her birthday but also to extend an olive branch.  After I mailed it on Monday DD # 2 told me that my sister had just made herself a needle case.  She apparently found a pattern on the internet, so there may be a better one out there.

Janet