Time Savers Part 1

Often I read the knitting blogs and I see so many knitters telling their woes of having to rummage around to find the right needles, dig around in three piles to find that one special pattern, or spend several hours untangling yarn before they can start a project.  This is a sad waste of prime knitting time. I work full time, come home and proceed to clean the home, cook dinner, help with home work, etc...until about 8:00 p.m. when I can sit, knit and visit with my family.  I just don't have time to waste searching for this or that when bedtime comes so quickly at 10:00 p.m. I need to have my knitting and notions ready when I am.

One of my favorite knitting helpers is my small tackle box that I found at Basha's for 99 cents. I adore this kit. I contains all the knitting supplies that I need and lives at my feet when I'm knitting and in the T.V. Armour when I'm not.

It contains everything I need to knit and I mean everything.

Un-adorned stitch markers. I put these on a key ring so they don't get lost.

Waste cord for provisional Cast-on.

A nice length of crochet cotton to use as a life line, size 10.

Clover row counter.

Bobby Pins used as row markers.

Chibi with several sewing needles and a needle threader.

Scissors.

Tape measure.

A fold-able calculator.

Needle point protectors.

Metal Gauge ruler.

One pencil and highlighters.

A nail file.

Lip gloss. It's very dry here.

Two complete sets of US size 0, 1, 2 metal dpn's

One US size 000 dpn and a crochet hook size B - both very helpful tools for tinking.

The day will come when I will have some very handy dandy carpenter make a fancy sock notions kit for me, but for now 99 small copper pennies bought a enormous amount of time. I also have an additional case filled with the duplicate items that lives in the car! I will never be caught without my knitting.

Comments

[Lynda]

I like your tackle box idea. All of my notions for the current project are in the gallon sized zip lock bag that holds the project (small ones only) and the yarn. For sock knitting each ball of yarn is in its own small ziploc to keep it clean. Living on a truck with a dog that sheds means that all of my projects come with a bit of dog hair in them. The zip locs keep the yarn clean and keep them from rolling around. A boon in a truck, let me tell you. The tackle box sounds like a good idea, but I don't think that the dh will allow me to bring yet another knitting thing on the truck. A tub of yarn and two knitting bags is pushing it. He loves me and I am spoiled. I get the large share of the under bunk storage for my yarn stash.

[tarilyn]

What a great idea! I must admit that most of my knitting tools (needles, patterns & yarn) are very well organized, but my small notions are in an assortment of small bags. I'm going to have to look for a little box like yours! Thanks for the tip!

[Carrie K]

Oh, that's a great idea! Makes it more of a roving project box, rather than stocking my purse and the current project.

[kat]

i have the same sort of thing but in a school pencil holder...nice to have everything where you need it

[Aonj]

great idea!

[Terrib]

My fav storage item is a rolling cart with 20 drawers. I found it at CLothilde.com. The first drawer has the itsy-bitsy 00-0000 in a tackle box, and a tpae measure, scissors, needle gauge, etc. I can store up to sz. 50's!! And the drawers are deep enough that it fits everything. No more searching for the right size, unless one of the kids has rummaged around in it and "borrowed" one of my needles for a sword.

[Jennifer]

All right. I'm ready to fix my disorganization problem, and this is perfect! I actually have a tackle box (having worked in theatre) that I could use. I will find it and I will get organized (self help talk :))

thanks!

[Charity]

All this amazing organization does my heart good! Love it! :0)

[Chrissy]

That is such a good idea. I keep most of my stuff in my Lantern Moon silk needle case, but I find that stuff never gets put back in there when I'm finished with it. I think it's because nothing really has a place in there. I'm going to look into getting a case like yours. I think I've seen them at Michaels here.