Tutorial: How to Make A Knitting/Crochet Needle Case

Knitting/Crochet Needle Case (it still has pins in the binding because I have to stitch it down tonight)

This is a fun project.   Very fast and simple, good for scrapping and fat quarters.  Read all instructions before starting.

Step one:  select your fabric.  I have selected 5 fat quarters for this case.

Pick two of the fat quarters and trim them to measure 20 x 18 1/2 inches.
Cut 1 thin piece of batting to measure 20 x 22 inches.
Sandwich these together with right sides of the fabric facing out from the batting on both sides.  It helps to lightly press the pieces together.   Set this piece aside.  Your batting should be larger than your fabric.   See Below...

Step two:  we will make the pockets.  Cut a piece of fabric 20 inches x 10 inches.  Fold this in half wrong sides together so that it measures 20 inches x 5 inches and press.

Cut another piece of fabric 20 inches x 20 inches.  Fold this in half wrong sides together so that it measures 20 inches x 10 inches and press.

These will be your pockets and will line up on the fabric with raw edges at the bottom,  as shown in the picture below...we are not ready to attach these pockets yet, this is just to show you how they will line up to help you with your fabric selection process.

Take the small pocket and lay it on top of the big pocket with raw edges together as shown below.  

Take a clear plastic ruler and mark lines with a chalk pencil or other removable marking pen.  The lines on the small pocket will be for crochet hooks, small knitting needles, and you can include a large pocket for pattern instructions.  These lines do not have to line up with the ones on the larger pocket.  The lines on the bigger pocket will be for long knitting needles.  Make the lines no closer than 1 inch apart.  You may wish to pin first and check your needles to make sure you have allowed enough room.  I like to pin between each line and just remove them as I stitch, this keeps the backing in place with no creases.

Start your stitching from the bottom raw edges and stitch only to the edge of the first pocket, stop and back stitch.  Do this for each line you have drawn on the bottom pocket only!  Clip your threads.  I have turned the pocket over in the photo below, to show you that  I have only stitched part of the way up, you can also see the large pocket that has been left to hold patterns.

Step Three:  Turning the fabric pockets back over, place them on your quilt sandwich now and pin them with raw edges to the bottom, take your ruler and continue your lines up the case as shown below...

We are now going to stitch the pockets to the case.  This will quilt your case at the same time that you are making the slots for your needles.  This is very important....You will start from the TOP of your small pocket and insert your needle on one of your lines, take a few stitches and back stitch, careful NOT to catch the small pocket.  Stitch to the top of the case following your chalk mark as shown below.  

The picture above shows you that we have started the stitching just above the bottom pocket and have stitched all the way to the top of the case.  Clip your threads.

Step Four:   you will use a clear plastic ruler and rotary cutter to cut away the excess batting and square up your piece as shown below...

Step Five:   cut strips to make the binding.  I cut mine 2 1/2 inches wide and I cut as many as I need to go around the raw edges and over lap a couple inches.  About 80 inches is a good number, you have 2 x 20 and 2 x 18.

If you are using a fat quarter as I have done, you will need to cut a few strips and piece them together which I like to do on the diagonal as shown below, then fold them in half and press.  Pin to your fabric, miter the corners and stitch in place, turn, press and stitch down your binding.

When you have turned your binding, it should look like this below... and you are ready to start putting your needles in.

Once you have your needles in place you can fold the top flap down to secure your needles, this will keep them from falling out of the case when you roll it up to take it along with you.

You can see that I still have pins in this binding, I will be hand stitching it down tonight while we watch TV. But I know you get the idea.  Here it is rolled up, you tie it with a satin ribbon...I will probably purchase some chocolate brown ribbon for this one, but you get the idea as shown.  If you want to attach the ribbon you can center it at one edge and straight stitch through the ribbon into the binding seam so it won't show.

Here is one I made a while ago, same design, just different fabric to give you some ideas...

Here it is rolled up.  This was a gift for a friend.

And here is the REASON I'm inside quilting today and not at the Pioneer Day Picnic up in Grass Valley...107.1 in the shade!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, please give me your feedback.  Thank you.