I love needlecases

After a period of pain, work, house tending and almost no crafting at all, I'm happy to be back again. I was meaning to share the joy over my new crochet books with you, and also the circles (becoming a bag for my kid) made from patterns in one of the books. But there was either no time or I was simply too tired... Guess you'll see less of me now, when work takes some of my time.

But now, I have something to share. I've spent the last two days organizing my (almost non-existent) needle work. Namely my beloved baskets, containing my ongoing projects.

I have made myself three more needle cases. Oh, how I love making these little things! I love choosing among my felted sheets (bought in a cheap store, no quality to speak of but sooo cheap). I love going through my box with embroidery threads, leftovers from old table cloths and tapestries. 

I start with no plan at all, letting one colour give the other, and one stitch lead the way to the next. It is ever so exiting to see the finished result. And I fall in love with them.

I love filling them up with needles of all sorts from my sewing box.

And I love forcing my family to tell which one is their favorite and why. :) Even though I can't make up my own mind. I never thought I could love a needle case more than I loved my light blue one with lilies of the valley. Now it stands between the purple and the brown. But I think I am even more in love with how different they all are. But enough bragging! ;)

I also love to organize my beautiful baskets. Each one is now supposed to have a pair of scissors, pen and note pad, needle case, measuring tape and a little jar for cut ends. Not to be removed! (Yeah right, that's just a matter of time...)

I have also made project bags. My baskets used to keep a lot of yarn from old, finished or abandoned, projects. All in a mess, entangled in each other. The plan is that I from now on don't have to carry around the entire basket when I feel like switching to another needle work, I just bring the bag to the place where I want to sit. I have placed one basket in strategic places where I usually sit. So hopefully this will be less messy, and I will always have a pair of scissors and a measuring tape at hand. Not all in one place or mysteriously missing...

I have to show you this one. The other bags were made from pillow cases, a piece of a curtain and a shirt sleeve :), but this one is more precious. I found this embroidery sample among my mother-in-laws things. I thought that I could make something of it, and so I did. I just added a back and a little canal on top for the ribbon to go through. Isn't it beautiful?

So now everything is neat and organized. All I need is some inspiration to go on with my actual projects, tucked down in my pretty baskets... Maybe my kids will help me with this. My embroidery got them inspired, so they are planning to do some of their own after school. And what could be more inspiring than to sit down and create together?