Needle Case Tutorial
March 16th, 2007
For my tutorial I like to think of it as a recipe instead of precise instructions. If you make a needle case based on my tute please email me. I’d love to see pictures. Some history of the project can be found at this post.
To make a needle case you’ll need a sheet of plastic canvas and some yarn. At the time I didn’t realize there were different sized plastic canvas. I did use some stash yarn that was thick so the squares would be well filled.
My old paper needle holder served as a guide to cutting out the plastic canvas. I cut two pieces instead of one figuring one larger piece wouldn’t close as easily.
Tieing the yarn on I prepared to weave.
Weaving the ends is pretty simple. The only trick is to make sure you weave in the same direction.
The edge consisted of weaving one square. For the middle rows I weaved into two squares.
The longer the yarn the less knots you’ll have to make. When joining a new piece I made the knot at the side.
The completed pieces. While weaving I noticed one side hid the plastic better. I’m not sure why but I suspect it has something to do with yarn tension.
I trimmed the knot tails and sewed them down with matching thread. I’ve circled those areas with yellow. The blue circle is a spot I had to tack down because the yarn got wonky.
I sewed the two pieces together with matching thread and illustrated that below with blue lines. In hindsight I see that I could have left one long edge bare on each piece and then weaved the two pieces together with yarn. But the thread works just as well.
I cut some fabric a little larger than the combined pieces.
Tucking the edges under as I went I handsewed the fabric down to the outer layer. I also sewed a line down the center where the two pieces meet thinking that would “guide” the case to close.
The ties were just a length of yarn knotted on each side. The tail was sewn under the fabric. I’d suggest putting in the ties before sewing down the fabric.
And voila! A completed needle case.
Entry Filed under: Sewing, Misc. Crafts
20 Comments Add your own
1. kate | March 23rd, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I love it. I have some plastic canvas laying around and this would be a great use. thanks for the how to
2. Twilight | March 24th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Kate-Thanks! Glad you like it. Let me know if you make a needle case, I’d love to see pics.
3. Susan Barker | April 9th, 2007 at 8:28 am
I just bought some plastic canvas at the second hand store on Saturday and was trying to think what I could use it for — I definately can use a needle case, so I will be starting on one tonight! Thanks for the idea and tutorial, though I think I would do a couple of things different. I am going to put a narrow “backbone” or spine maybe 2 or 3 rows wide, so that the case looks more like a “book” Oh, also I was thinking that the inside fabric could be felt then the edges don’t need to be turned under…
4. Twilight | April 9th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Susan-Thanks, glad you like the tute. I love the idea of using felt. That’s brilliant! Felt would be more forgiving than normal fabric too for the needle holes.
5. Rainy Day Crafts » &hellip | April 10th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
[…] Crafting Chaos has a great plastic canvas needlepoint project to make this portable needle case. [ via ] Link. […]
6. Kakariki | April 10th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Wow! I must find some plastic canvas! I’m forever losing needles…
7. Twilight | April 16th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Kakariki-Thanks, glad you like it. I kept having needles fall out of my old paper case and this new one has solved that problem.
8. Kakariki | April 30th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
I’ve started making mine but I have a different size canvas, the holes are a lot smaller so doing it slightly differently. Will report when finished!
It’s nice meditation this weaving…
9. Twilight | May 1st, 2007 at 12:23 am
Kakariki-I read on Whip Up that plastic canvas comes in several different sizes where the holes are bigger and smaller. I think it would be neat to experiment with different sizes and different thicknesses of yarn.
Definately let me know when finished. I’d love to see pics.
I too find weaving a form of meditation.
10. My Own Needlecase «&hellip | May 8th, 2007 at 8:54 am
[…] 8th, 2007 · No Comments It doesn’t take long when you get into Radical Cross Stitch to start leaving needleseverywhere, especially in the arms of couches. My partner had started to make some subtle observations about the hazards of sitting on the couch. So when I saw this wonderful tutorial at Crafting Chaos I knew I had to make myself one. And I thought it was about time I made myself something. So I’m calling this my own Mother’s Day present. […]
11. Kakariki | May 8th, 2007 at 8:55 am
Finished!
http://bloggreen.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/my-own-needlecase/
12. Twilight | May 9th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Kakariki-Cool! Your needle case turned out great. Glad you liked my tute.
13. Crafting Chaos » Ca&hellip | May 9th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
[…] Kakariki from Bloggreen used my needle case tutorial to make one of her own. Yay! I’m so happy […]
14. Jenna Doll | February 23rd, 2008 at 11:29 am
I just randomly picked this post to say that I really love your blog
Hope you keep on posting great stuff
regards, jenna
15. 26 Free Tutorials For Nee&hellip | March 29th, 2008 at 5:40 am
[…] Needle Case Tutorial (plastic canvas cover) […]
16. Amanda | September 19th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Thanks for the tut! I am making my own version of this, taking into consideration some of the comments made by other users here. (I am making a little spine & also going to use felt on the inside.)
I will show you a picture when I am done!
Thanks again.
17. Lara Kloosterboer | October 18th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Hello there!
First of all, congratulations on your tutorial
I love it 
Today I thought: I’m going to make one just like this and live happily ever after hahaha
Got out and went to buy all the necessary things.
Unfortunately, I havent found the sheet of plastic canvas…
I went to several stores and different places and they dont sell it around here (I live in Lisbon, Portugal).
Do you know if there is a place where I can buy it on line?
Many thanks!!!
Lara
18. Twilight | October 21st, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Jenna Doll-Somehow I missed your comment before. Glad you like my blog!
Amanda-That’s great to hear. I’d love to see a finished pic.
Lara-Glad you like the tutorial. I searched on Ebay http://www.ebay.com for “plastic canvas” and found some for sell. If you go that route make sure the seller ships internationally.
19. sandrar | September 10th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
20. Twilight | September 29th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Sandra-Thank you! Glad to hear you like my blog.
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