While it’s lovely to make your own storage often we don’t have the tools or the skills to do it. That’s when one of my favorite ways to create storage and organization comes into play — I repurpose items designed for other uses into needlepoint storage.
Use a cosmetic bag or pencil case as a tool case. Yesterday Theresa from Homestead Needle Arts reminded me of this. Pencil cases are longer and often skinny. They’re great for storage, especially if you have laying tools. Cosmetic bags are often more square and bigger. Both make great places to store essentials. I just made an on-the-go tool bag from a dollar store case with a small pair of scissors, a little box of needles, a needle threader. my small laying tool, a Lantern Moon ORT bin, and a magnetic needle minder. I’ll be able to take it with me when I travel.
Use a wire mesh waste basket for longer stretcher bars. Buy them at the office supply store and keep the longer bars there. Mine sits under the shipping table in the garage, but it’s good-looking enough to sit out.
Inexpensive laundry baskets make great temporary storage. I have two of these at the moment. One is sitting in the garage full of the projects I’ll be stitching on out there when I keep my DH company. (Our garage is basically a basement for people who have no basements.) The other sits in my office and holds projects I’ll be getting to soon.
Use a small tote bag to hold threads waiting to be put away. If you’re like me, you hate putting away threads. I have a small jute tote bag I keep by my desk. Threads go in there when I’ve used them. When the tote gets full I sort and out them away.
Make sure the tote is small. Otherwise it’s just too long between organizing sessions (been there, done that). If you worry about cats taking the threads, make sure it closes.
Use baskets to store current projects. If your stitching chair is in a place such as the Family Room, make your WIPs look better by storing them in a large pretty basket. Look for ones that have straight sides and that are long enough to hold your project bags.
Go through them from time to time, you’l be surprised at what you find.
Use a tea caddy to corral small balls of thread. They are cute and inexpensive and come with holes. Just be sure you buy one big enough for your spools.
Buy a magnetic bowl at the hardware store. If you need to store counting pins, needles, or scissors someplace where they are near to hand. Consider heading down to the hardware store. These little bowls are made to keep track of nail, nuts, and bolts. But use them for your metal tools instead.
Use something pretty as an ORT container. I have a pretty telephone wire basket from South Africa I use for orts. Yes, I know they are something you’ll just throw out, but putting them in something that makes you happy adds a bit of beauty to your life.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Joyce Shannon says
I use a gift wrap size storage container for my stretcher bars
Renee says
A couple of years ago, I hit Ikea and found this unit:
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40196241/
Perfect for needlepoint storage. I have two in my workroom. Rolled canvases fit fine, and the thicker drawers are perfect for storing fabric and trim.
For my stash, I stole the idea from am needlepoint store in Chicago (that is now closed): I use embroidery hoops, grouping colors together and looping hangs or skeins of thread around the hoop. They hang beautifully on hooks in my workroom.
JoanneP says
I definitely believe in repurposing. An eyeglass (lipstick?) holder from a thrift shop has worked well for me for carrying laying tools in a project bag. Stretcher bars: some are in a woven ‘hamper’ along with parts to scroll frames; the longer ones are in an old umbrella stand. Staples has had some translucent sliding pencil cases that can hold spools like Kreinik and Access Commodities threads. Usually about $1; sometimes less after ‘Back to school’ season is over. Cheap enough to keep with individual projects, and sturdier than plastic bags.