Starfish suggested a tutorial for the dpn holder, and funnily enough I had taken some pictures as I went with that thought in mind, so here goes. It’s my first tutorial and I’m a self-taught sewer, in the spirit of all or nothing it is also my entry to the Sew,Mama,Sew tutorial competition. The key is to iron, or press, at every stage.
This is what you will end up with.
1. Choose two co-ordinated fabrics – or mis-matched ones if you so desire 🙂
Cut the fabric to the desired size. You will need:
* a main fabric, I cut mine 20 inches by 18 inches, this is folded in half and becomes the front and back (10 x 18)
* a top flap the length of your needle holder (in this case 18 inches) and double the height that you want it to be ( I cut mine about 4 inches high)
* a pocket for the needles (the height that you want the pocket to be plus 1/2 inch seam allowance), again, it is the length of your main fabric.
* ribbon, or a tie made from the material you are working with. A note on this: I cut a 1 inch strip sewed it with a 3/8th inch seam and pulled it through. I DONT recommend this – it took longer to do this than to sew the entire holder! Use a bias maker or cut 1 1/2 inch stip, fold both raw edges to the centre, iron and top stitch down.
Here are all of your cut out pieces. The piece at the top is folded in half ready to sew around the sides and the bottom.
2. Make the ties – see note above
3. Sew the main fabric together enclosing the unfinished end of the tie in the seam – the rest of the tie is inside the material not sticking out (I used my 1/4 inch foot). Go over the tie closer towards the edge a few times. Leave a 2 1/2 inch gap at the bottom for turning.
4. Trim the corners a few milimetres from the seam, turn through and iron/press well. If all has gone well it should look like this.
5. Roll up the fabric from right to left and mark where you want the second tie to go. Attatch. Unroll and sew on – I went back and forth a few times to secure it.
6. Iron a half inch seam on the pocket fabric Align with the bottom and side edges of your base fabric and pin on.
7. Fold the fabric for the top in half and sew together, leave a 2 1/2 inch gap for turning. Turn and iron well.
Attatch to the top of your base fabric with the gap at the top (you will have ironed it so that the seam allowance is folded into the opening).
8. Sew sides of pocket and base of pocket using 1/4 inch seam.
9. Sew flap on also using a 1/4 inch seam. NOTE don’t sew all the way down the sides of the flap. I sewed about 1/4 of an inch only.
10. Top stitch across the top of the flap as close to the edge as possible. Repeat for the sides and base of the pocket. This will close your turning gaps and neaten it’s appearance.
11. Using chalk or another removable fabric marker, mark where you want the needles to sit and sew down.
Remember to do a few stitches at the beginning and end of each row to secure it. I left two larger pockets to hold needle gauges and stitch holders.
12. Fill with needles and enjoy
Finally I can’t go without a gratuitous kid picture.
The Gorgeous Girl has discovered the cat:
His days of peace and quiet are over. Fat Boy is actually purring really loudly in this photo.
Of course he is, she is kneading him…
That needle roll does not look like curtains….
Fat Boy likes his massage, doesn’t he? Is he bigger than GG or is that an optical illusion?
Wow, what a neat tutorial!
And I love the picture of Fat Boy being admired! 😀
She looks so pleased with herself! Just how big *is* Fat Boy?
Nice work on the tutorial – if I had time I would try to make one. It’s much prettier than the tackle box I am using now!
Hello, I love the photo of GG and FB. Rachel loves our dog, she only loves Rachel when she feeds her. I think animals and babies are an important combination. Rachel laughs the most when she with dogs. I think its good for her spirit.
🙂 I love your needle holder.One day when I’m brave I will try to make one.
Have a good day.
Thank you for the tutorial, maybe now i will certainlly try to make one for me. Shame for the cat. My little one thonks the cat is a horse, so be prepared for some rodeo also!
Great tutorial. I can’t wait to give it a try!
Fat Boy looks huge!
Great tutorial! I understood it. I tend to gloss over things in mine, so I understand what you are going through writing it.
Does the cat outweigh the baby?!?! Or is it just the angle?
The photo is beautiful. GG is just beautiful.
When my DD was a baby my G.P of the time said to me that it was important to bring children up with animals as it makes them less selfish and more caring. I think she was right. In those days we had a dog and 3 cats. Now we have just 1 cat. We’ve had cats for 25 years and I can’t imagine life without them.
I will say that you are quiet clever… I will take that cat if you want… I miss having a cat – hubby is allergic (yeah right)… it was nice talking to you today… take care
Cute picture. And your cat does look huge, especially at first glance!
great tutorial, you did well!!
I have a picture of my girl, near exact pose, with the near exact cat form about 91/2 years ago! He is sadly in Heaven now, she is remarkably bigger as well, but those cats are magnets alright! Tracey
Fat Boy is just grinning because somebody is kneading bread on *his* tush for a change.
[…] Double Pointed Needle Holder ~ Ruth […]
[…] of the hand quilting I’m going to direct you over to Starfish who made a dpn holder from the tutorial I wrote for the Sew,Mama,Sew competition. Hello, if you came over from there, by the […]
Nice tutorial. And I love your fabric choices. I’ve got to make one of these and ditch the cardboard shoebox once and for all!
Thanks!
[…] Double Pointed Needle Holder Tutorial: This is a nice & easy needle roll pattern with a top flap to hold knitting needles in place. You’ll also find a bunch more here. […]
Thanks for the tutorial! I googled to find you, but I know Starfish too. 🙂
This is a great set of instructions for making “exactly what I need.” I have some fabric that matches some of my decor, and so if I left it out, while working on a project, it would match. How great would that be? Thanx!