Let's Get Organized: Week 23 - Pins and Needles

Straight pins, silk pins, long pins, short pins, safety pins...the list goes on and on. And then there is the whole assortment of sewing needles. How's a quilter going to keep all of these from becoming one big jumbled mess? This week's homework is to collect all of your pins and hand sewing needles (Click here to see how to organize machine needles). While you are digging them out, it might be a good time to take inventory of what pins/needles need replacing or you are running low on. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a project and realizing that you don't have the proper needle.

Clean and Clutter Free Options:

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

1. Jacquie Gering (Show 1202) uses a drawer system, as she prefers the store and dump system.

2. Sectioned stackable storage box. Bystephanielynn

3. Make your own custom needlecase. Everkelly

4. 3"x 5" lidded tote to hold needles in order. LaSewista

5. Plastic multi-drawer unit. Feeddog

6. Up-cycle pill containers. CreationsbyMitchie

7. Up-cycle old CD cases. PiecefulLiving

8. See through zippered pounches. Angelscrapquilting

Visually Stimulating Options:

1.Sliding storage boxes using black contact paper and a white paint pen. Collete

2. 3.

2. Re-purpose baby food jars. TipsandTreasures

3. IntoTheKingsGarden shares a unified painted collection of baby food jars in a little shelving unit.

4. Rectangular baby food containers. These hold snacks, but they would also work for your needles and pins. MakeandTakes

If those weren't enough ideas, the DomesticDiva has a whole host of other ideas for storing your collections.

Tupperware storage wedges. DomesticDiva

Just joined our year of organizing? Click here for other TQS Organization blogs.

Comments

#11 Theresa S. 2018-07-30 19:15

Claire,
I found a great chart for identifying needles on Pinterest. It is by John James needles. The link sends you to www.jjneedles.com. Good luck sorting your needles!

#10 Claire 2016-12-21 21:02

When we closed up my mother's house, helpers piled all her hand sewing needles together in a box...so all the varieties are mixed together with little or no identification. Needless to say I have a sizable pile of sharp objects! What's the best way to start to organize these...is there a chart I can use to separate them out by type? Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

#9 Stitchwiz 2016-06-15 15:00

Have to rethink my storage solution - a decorative tin that looks like an old curved top trunk with a magnetic sheet in the lid to hold the loose hand sewing needles that I haven't taken the time to put away.
In my tin, I also have recycled and re-labeled an old prescription bottle for containing dull or damaged pins, sewing machine needles and hand sewing needles. When it's full, I go to the pharmacy, and empty it into their Sharps container.
Keep up the great ideas, folks!

#8 Stitchwiz 2016-06-15 14:52

Love the CD case idea.
You could use your computer CD template to create a new back page & put the type of needles into the Title area of the spine.
For loose needles, you could use felt or fleece and attach it to the paper with spray adhesive or a row of stitching next to the spine.
Now you can set the Needle cases on a shelf instead of tying up valuable drawer space.

#7 Sandy 2016-06-15 14:03

I use a bead case with adjustable inserts to organize my machine needles. The plastic needle holders fits perfect sideways. Needles are divided by type and size. I use the front left space for the case of the needle in use, marking the slot with a permanent marker. When changing needles, i place the needle back into the slot and back into the storage space. This way I know what's used, what's in the machine and which size and type I'm low on.

#6 virgie 2016-06-13 22:29

I put my quilt marking pens in a zippered bag and now I can't find the bag!

#5 Marsha E 2016-06-13 21:48

I use business card folders. Each card sleeve will hold a standard needle package, and they are easy to organize by type and size. Unfortunately, they don't work for over-sized cards. This also works for machine needles. Two or three packages fit in each sleeve.

#4 Vicki crooms 2016-06-13 15:50

Don't forget the days of the week medication holders. The larger ones found at hobby lobby hold sewing machine needles in the container. I have two, one for various sizes of hand sewing needles and one for vatious machine needles.
Every quilter should buy a P-touch labeling machine!

#3 Hollis McCright 2016-06-13 09:19

I don't see a pincushion anywhere. :cry:

I guess I am an underachiever as I keep all my needles in a tin that a small cake came in; my colorful 1" safety pins in re-used sandwich meat plastic box.

#2 Pauleta J Clawson 2016-06-13 07:39

Just wanted to add another pin/needle option for storage. I use a small, plastic compartmented box I found in the fish tackle area. Very inexpensive and the sections are exactly right for a plastic package of needles. That way you see the brand, size, etc at a glance.

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post

Daily Blog