Feb crafting a birthday gift for a knitter.

This ended up being a 2 part gift. I had plans to have it done and time and I did meet my deadline. BUT! I came up with more ideas to go with it as I was making it so this gift was given at two different times. I hope by the next knitter's birthday comes around I make time to make all of this and not run out of time. This was fun to make and I plan to make one for all my knitting friends.

Part one (part given on birthday)
A knitting needle roll. Back at Christmas a knitting family member asked how I made the knitting roll I have to hold my DPNs. I made a mental note that if she didn't make herself one by her birthday that I would make one for a gift for her. She said she wanted one to hold taller needles (more than just tiny dpns). I thought an empty needle roll wouldn't make much of a gift but I know she wanted it to hold all of her needles so filling it with needles would defeat the purpose. After a lot of thought I came up with adding one set of knitting needles (just so she would know what the gift was, a pair of scissors because when I am knitting I am always wishing I had scissors near by, a couple measuring tapes (another thing I like to have near when knitting),a set of dps because I remember a couple months ago she had lost the only size 3 dpns she owned, some stitch markers (because they are pretty), and a needle book because I loose mine all the time and thought a place to keep them sounded good. Here is how it looks finished
I am sorry this was such a bad picture of the needle roll. It is the only picture of the outside that I have.


Stitch markers. You can find a ton of free tutorials on how to make them. Here is the one I used. I love how they turned out! Pretties for knitting. I now think all knitters need pretty jewelry for knitting. I had so much fun making them! I didn't want to stop making them.Above are a few more stitch markers. The two on the right (ones on large thin loops). I did my own thing when making these. I just strung beads on wire, bent in a loop and twist close (sticking the end back in the top bead of course). I made them because they are larger and will fit on big needles if she is working with chunky yarn. They are not as pretty as the other ones but they might be useful someday.

A pocket for a measuring tape.

A needle book.


inside of book. I did clip all the strings before giving it away.

View of needle roll all open. When I was making this I tried to think of all the things I would like to have when I am knitting. OK truth is I was thinking of all the things I can't find because I don't have a "knitting set" to hold it all. I feel I waste a lot of time looking for all this stuff (needles, scissors, rulers and such) when I could be having fun knitting.

PART 2

When I was making the needle roll I started thinking how a bag to hold the knitting might be good. I don't know about this knitter but I know for myself a bag to keep my WIP knitting project in (to take in the car and such) would be handy.

.....I know you must all be noticing how all my crafts seem to work around what I think I would want. Strange part of this is I never take the time to make things for myself so I never know how they work out.

OOPS.. Sorry got off track! Back to the bag. I thought putting pockets to hold needles on the outside of the bag might be a good thing. I thought of all the times I am knitting in the car (with hubby driving) and digging in my purse for another size needle or a crochet hook. Or even worse all the times I realize I didn't grab an extra needle or a crochet hook to finish the project. Because of that I thought pockets on the outside would make it easy to stick what you might need before leaving the house and making it easy to find them (giving one more time to knit). I wanted strong handles but didn't feel like running to the city (an hour away) to get some nice bag handles. After a bit of thinking I realized I could make my own handles using my leather stash (I use leather to make my girls soft shoes and slippers). The handles to this bag once used to be part of my leather biking jacket (did you know I was once a girl on the back of a motorcycle I even once owned a bike of my own). I kind of chuckle thinking how part of a leather fringed biking coat is now living as handles for a knitting bag for an older lady. When making the bag I decided to put a larger pocket to hold books. I figured knitting books or patterns are used by people sometimes when they knit (not me because I haven't learned to read patterns yet I hope to find someone with lots of patients to teach me someday). I don't remember (and wasn't smart enough to take pictures) where I put the pocket. I think I put a large pocket on the other side of the bag (same as the front but no tiny spots for needles) just a large pocket to hold a large 3 ring binder.


I dyed up some dark blue sock yarn. I have to admit I LOVED the dark blue yarn and kind of didn't want to give it up. I hope to make some just like it for myself someday. The other skein of yarn is some worsted weight, hand spun, hand dyed merino yarn.

close up of handles.

close up of pockets to hold extra needles.
close up of hand spun yarn.
finished project. One knitting bag with a few things for the inside. I took a 3 ring binder and printed off some free knitting patterns to fill it for her. She doesn't have the internet and has to buy all her pattern so I thought she might like it. I printed off little girl things, dish cloths, scarves, sweaters and such. When she came over to visit and I gave her the gift I let her use our computer and printer to finish filling the book with things she might want to make someday. Last thing I did was whipped up some sock blockers. I found the tutorial here.

I feel bad the gift was given on 2 different days. I think it would have been a lovely gift if I had the bag with needle roll, yarn, sock blockers all inside with the pattern book in the outside pocket. I will do it all together for the next one. I should make the next one up for myself because when ever I make something it takes until the 3rd try to look real nice. I plan on making up this set for all my knitting friends for birthdays. I don't really have that many friends that knit. Maybe I will have to make them to give to a few knitting acquaintances? Times like this I wish I could get more of my friends knitting! Hmmm... I might have to try to teach a few non knitters to knit.