What to do with all that stuff?

[drache]

This isn't a "knitting question" per say, but I imagine it is a problem many have run into, and have hopefully solved. Basically, I'm looking for ideas as to how to house my knitting.

I do a lot of knitting, but I hate having skeins everywhere and multiple projects underway at once. At most, I limit myself to two or three projects, so the amount of yarn I have on hand is a conservative amount.

I've used, and promptly resold, cumbersome Rubbermaid boxes. I've also tried thick canvas bags, only to get my spare needles tangled up in the yarn at the bottom or have large needle holes punctured in the sides. I have since then made the investment to get silicone needle caps for my current projects. While the caps protect my bag, they do not help me organize/store my spare needles, which are currently bound together with rubber bands. I have at least one pair of each size.

What I am considering doing is either purchasing a long, narrow Rubbermaid (or other brand) box to keep my supplies (and needles!) in, or sewing a needle-sized bag of some sort. I would also like to sew a sturdy denim bag for the works (something without floppy sides!).

Anyone willing to share their ideas or suggestions? What do you "small workload knitters" do? Many thanks in advance!

[Jan in CA]

So what is it you're looking for? Something to store your works in progress (WIP)? Or a way to store stash yarn?

Mine is a disaster right now, but I do have a bookshelf with glass doors and a closed one for my yarn. The projects themselves... heaven help them.

[drache]

All of my stash yarn is happily nestled away in a dresser drawer, so that's not much of an issue. My works in progress are all very small so they should easily fit in one container. I'm just looking for ideas as to what that container should be, and I would like to be able to keep the supplies and projects together, yet separated. If that makes any sense.

I've seen my mom and grandma's knitting "disaster zones" so I know exactly what you mean! I'm just happy I've been able to avoid that for so long.

[Jan in CA]

If the projects are small enough you could probably put them in gallon ziplocs and line them up on a shelf. Or some of those zipper bags...like the kind pillow cases (or whatever) come in. Hmm...I should take my own advice! If I ever finish this baby knitting stuff I've had to do I think I'll do some organizing!

[CoolWool]

Right now I have three projects OTN (pretty typical). I have my sweater, pattern, and ball of yarn in a bowl on the coffee table. Behind the couch is an antique upright knitting bag/thingie (inherited from my aunt - it's pretty cool) which kind of stands open on little wooden legs and has pockets inside. I have all of my yarn in it (about 7 balls - they're pretty small), my works in progress, and all of my needles (mostly straights) sticking out of one of the pockets.

My couch is away from the wall with a sofa table behind it - - which is awesome because I can "hide" my knitting bag back there so it's out of sight, but really easy to get to.

I have a few balls of yarn upstairs in a closet tucked away in a shopping bag.

That's it.

OH and I have a tiny bowl on a side table and it has all of my doodads in it; scissors, markers, row counter, tape measure, etc. The bowl keeps it all together and looks less of a mess.

[dddebbb3]

I don't use straight needles. I keep my DPNs and circular needles in a 3 ring binder in plastic pouches made to fit the binder. Get them where school or office supplies are sold, and make sure the plastic pouches will close with Velcro or a zipper. I keep one size per pouch, in numerical order, so it's easy to find the size I need (OK . . . easy to find when I remember to put them away after a project!). My needle gauge fits nicely in the in the binder pocket, too.
I like storing yarn in large, clear Ziplock bags, and keep odd balls displayed in baskets at the edge of my stairs. I try to limit myself to two projects at a time: one large or complicated at-home project, and one small, brainless project (socks, usually) that will fit in a doubled ziplock bag inside my purse. A kid's bookbag can make a good project bag, too, with pockets for notions and the book section for a project.

[crazykntter83]

For smaller things, I like to use ziplock bags. For bigger bulkier projects...like afghans, they usually end up in a trash bag on a safe shelf in my closet.

[suecq]

I invested in the Knitpicks clear plastic bags with zipper closures. I have a small one for my notions like tape measure, pencil, paper, small scissors, stitch markers, etc. a large on for all of my left over yarn and several medium size ones for wips. The large bag with small amounts of leftover yarn is put away with my stash, the small notion bag is on the table by my chair and the wip's are by my chair, in the car, or behind the couch.
My stash is in several places but I have it all listed on a spread sheet including location. I use circular and dp needles. They are kept in a Knitpicks circular case. It's the vinyl one that first came with the needles. I have 3 sets of tips and many cables in it as well as 2 sets of dp. I have another case that I keep the small size (0-3) and 16" diameter fixed circulars in.
I have all my knitting items listed in an Excel workbbok. One tab is yarn, another needles and equipment, another projects in process and completed, another books and another subscriptions. See what a retired accoutant does.