Knitting Organization?

#1

Hi everyone!!!

I am going to finish my first project this evening :lol: :lol:

During the past few weeks, since I started knitting, I have begun to collect knitting magazines, patterns, needles, and yarn that has been generously donated by friends that “thought you could use this”
(amazing how many of my friends thought I’d like their old unused yarn! :? )

(Even more amazing how many of them were right :smiley: )

Anyway,

I have a job which requires that I am very organized throughout the day, so, naturally, I tend to not want to organize myself well at home. This being said, I really want to get my knitting supplies organized before it gets out of hand! I would like some suggestions for how to go about this.
What do you do? What do you wish you could do? Anything at all!
Your comments would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Loof

#2

If I had the space, I would assign an entire room as my “Hobby Room”, “Work Studio” … whatever you want to call it :wink:

If I had the space AND MONEY, I would take trip to Ikea. They have such cute organizing supplies!! :smiley:

#3

Well, I’m kind of a split person. I’m really good at organizing things, but even better at destroying this order again :shock:
Guess i’m just to lazy to keep any order :smiley:
Therefore all my needles are stored in a hat box I got from a fleamarket. I also have one needle organizer that is crocheted, but it’s only for straight needles[it’s also stored in the box].
I don’t have any space for my supllies and so far all my yarn is in plastic bags which lie around in my room. What I want to get are some plastic containers which you can pile up. And some magazine holders.

#4

HAH! I thought this thread was gonna be about Organizations that focus on knitting :lol:

#5

Sorry about that mama!
:slight_smile:

#6

Yup.
That’s what I’m lookin like right now. 'cept the hatbox. (Good Idea!!)
I was thinking of some of the stackable plastic drawers, maybe… :?

#7

I have space in my house that I could devote to a hobby room, I just am unsure that I want to go up and convert that space!
Thanks for the idea!!!

#8

I do have an area of the house that’s just for my hobbies. It’s part of the laundry room…Don’t laugh, it’s a HUGE laundry room which even has a shower!!! So I have my yarn in storage boxes on shelves. Books and mags are next to the yarn. My needles however are in a basket with some small balls of yarn in the living room, they look so cute so it’s become a decorative accessory!!! It’s not as organized as it sounds, can we say “too many hobbies”??? And the family has figured out that with as much time as I spend in the laundry room, I’m not really doing laundry! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

#9

I don’t know about the yarn since I don’t have much. I don’t care much for the fabric needle holders, but I am planning on buying a toolbox to store my needles and “stuff”. My son and I have been looking at them. The main problem is leaving a needle in the car so I know how long the box has to be. We bought a fishing tackle box today, but it was 1/4" too short. Shopko though has a plastic scrapbooking case that looks like it would be great for a knitting case. Even the length is good. It had many dividers that you could put in. The only problem was that it was $20. Which isn’t much I guess after looking at the other cases. We need to let the plastic companies know what we need. If they made their boxes 1/2" longer they would work great.

#10

I have developed a “grab and go” system that works for me.

Yarn for “future projects” gets tucked away in a drawer or box or bag on the shelf (depending on my current state of re-organization). Yarn from past projects also lives with the future yarn, because you never know when you might be able to incorporate that little bit of “xyz” color.

Yarn for “next up” projects goes in the giant knitting basket in the living room.

“Current projects” and their yarn go in small bags (size depends on the size of the project) with yarn at the bottom, on-needle project on top. These bags live in or next to the giant knitting basket. When I’m going out and want to take a project, I just grab my project of choice, which can then ride safely in my totebag, backpack, or whatever. Extra skeins for large current projects live in the giant basket until I need them.

Needles live free-range in one side of the giant basket, too. I’m about to change that, though, and make them a home, a needle case (which will then live in the basket, but in a little more contained area).

Patterns live in the file cabinet, but I have also thought about putting them in sleeves in a binder. I sort them by “current projects,” “future projects,” and others by category (cardigans, scarves, etc). Knitting books and mags live on the bookshelf, all in one place so they’re easy to find.

Until I answered this topic, I didn’t realize how organized my knitting life was! I guess that’s why knitting is such a haven – everything else in the house is pretty chaotic.

#11

I recycle the clear plastic zipper bags that blankets, comforters and other linens come in and use them for yarn so I can see what’s in them. The only problem with this is I also use the bags for my linens, so I may have to actually buy some more of these bags.

I also bought a set of large clear plastic storage boxes for yarn and fabric and crafts. I really like being able to see at a glance what’s in them without opening and having to dig through.

My needles are in a back pack that I won, but I’m trying to figure out something better. I’m having a hard time throwing away the plastic envelopes they came in. I also saved the first swatch I knit and corralled some of the single points in that.

My current projects are in one of two fabric lined baskets I got from Trader Joe’s and I also have a large pottery bowl on the coffee table for yarn balls and currently used needles.

I am trying to use a binder for patterns, but I think I may just revert to using the filing cabinet, since I have so many things printed out.

Carol

#12

I put my patterns in a binder as I try them. They are also on the computer. I am going to put them on cd when I have enough that I have tried and enjoyed. Has anyone tried pvc pipe for a needle holder for straight needles? I may try that this week.

#13

For yarn storage, I use this.

I plan on getting more storage solutions of this type (like shelves with doors and a drawer system) to hold patterns and needles/hooks. The shoe thing works great for stuffing yarn into, but I still find myself with bags of yarn lying around… :oops:

#14

Congrats on finishing your first project, Loof! :cheering:

Here’s an earlier thread that turned into a discussion on organizing yarn. I put up pictures of my storage system.

Amy

#15

Right now my yarn is in various plastic totes, with some in garbage bags! LOL! ALL my magazines are stacked in a pile. Most of my books are packed up (yucky!) and anything I print off or save, goes in a file folder in our filing cabinent!
If it were up to me, I would have an entire room devoted to ALL my craft things! I would have some lovely nice wooden shelving units, with cabinents at the bottom and shelves on top. There would be lovely wicker baskets on the shelves mixed with books, maybe to hold current/started projects. Then I would have the big plastic totes hidden in the lower cabinent part. I would also then have something like an armoir … in there all my fabric for sewing would be neatly hanging (of course all pre-washed and ironed). There would be 2 rods for hanging. Near the bottom would be shelves with baskets and whatnots to hold all my sewing notions. There would be another cabinent to hold other crafting supplies, also all beautiful and nice. This room would also have a nice chair to sit and knit/cross-stitch/whatever in. A small (but not too small) tv with dvd player. There would also be a radio w/ cd player. Of course, there would be my sewing machine, a cutting table, a serger machine and an embroidery machine and a separate work table for all my scrapbooking things (so I wouldn’t have to keep pulling things out and packing them up). Under the scrapbooking table would be some drawer organizers to hold paper, stickers, extra pages, my photo organizer, and all other embellisments. And I can be ready to draw it all oout with correct measurements in a heartbeat!
Of course, out of all the things listed, all I currently own is one regular sewing machine and a bunch of mismatched plastic totes and cardboard boxes full of things!!! But, I’m a dreamer what can I say! Maybe someday … :wink:

#16

Thanks everyone,
A lot of really good ideas here.
I think what I am going to do is go upstairs and prepare to clean out all the junk that is currently there. Then I will bring in storage boxes, a small filing cabinet, and some comfy chairs to begin creating a great knitting/craft environment.
I will take a few pics along the way and update this thread for anyone who is interested in seeing what kind of space I can create!

Loof

#17

Thanks, Amy.

I finished knitting my first prayer shawl Friday night and everyone loves it!
It is going to be given to a man at my church who just found out his cancer has returned.
I have a little fringe to do yet but it will be ready for him next Sunday morning when I see him again.
I started my next shawl Saturday morning and can already tell that this one won’t take nearly as long as the first :smiley:

#18

Can’t wait to see your space you create!

Jouf