How to Sew a Knitting Needle Roll Up

There are a variety of organizers and roll ups available to purchase, but you can custom make your own knitting needle roll up to suit your needs with a minimal amount of cutting and sewing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fabric
• Ribbon
• Sewing pins
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread

1. Cut two pieces of 18-inch by 24-inch fabric for the outside of the roll up and the lining. Cut one 18-inch by 14-inch piece of fabric and two pieces measuring 18 inches by 7 1/2 inches from the same fabric as the lining. These last three pieces will be the pockets.

2. Place a 1/2-inch hem at the top of each of the three pockets. You can do this by folding over and pressing 1/4 inch, folding and pressing 1/4 inch again and then sewing the hem in place.

3. Lay the lining down on a flat surface, face side up. Position the larger pocket with the hem 8 inches from the top, pin it in place and then stitch across the bottom of the pocket. Place the top of the next pocket 6 inches below the hem of the first pocket. Leave the bottom of this pocket open, but pin and baste along the edges of both pockets.

4. Make the knitting needle slots in the pockets by placing a mark every 1 1/2 inches across the edge of the top pocket and across the bottom of the second pocket. Use a ruler and fabric marker to make a line connecting the top and bottom marks. Start at the bottom edge and sew up to the top pf each line, using a backstitch to reinforce the seam at the top of the pocket.

5. Line the bottom edge of the third pocket with the bottom edge of the lining. Pin and baste the sides to hold it in place. Use a ruler and marker to match up the stitch lines with the other pockets, but skip a few to make larger slots to store supplies such as stitch holders, scissors and other knitting supplies. Stitch from the bottom to the top as you did with the previous pockets, backstitching for reinforcement.

6. Join the lining and the outside fabric with right sides together and pin in place. Sew them together, using a 5/8-inch seam, leaving a small opening midway up one side for turning. Turn right side out and press.

7. Fold the ribbon in half, insert it inside the slot used for turning and stitch it securely in place before hand stitching the opening closed.

Tips & Warnings

• Fabric with structure works best, such as denim, twill or an upholstery type material. You may want to use interfacing to add structure, if you choose a lighter weight of fabric.
• You can be creative by selecting a contrasting material for the lining or embroidering a design on the outside of the roll up. If you embroider a design, be sure to do it before construction.
• Place the long needles in the larger pocket, shorter needles in the middle pocket and other supplies in the bottom pocket
• Fold the top of the roll up down over the needles to help hold them in place, roll it up and tie it with the ribbon.