Day 351: Needlebooks

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Needlebooks

This may be an odd sort of photo for my photography viewers, but it will be a common sight for my fellow needleworkers.

If you've been embroidering for any length of time, it's likely you've collected one or two or a dozen of these useful items. Most will be hand made — maybe by you, maybe by a friend and given to you as a gift. It's a great little gift for an exchange.

The red and the white needlebooks here were both gifts to me. They were given as part of a class or special occasion put on by an embroidery guild. Both are hand made. The white one has a tatted shamrock on the front. Both contain 2 felt pages for needles. As you can see, I've marked the white book with 24 and 26, my favorite needle sizes.

The brown needlebook is more for show. I don't think I've ever used it as a real tool. It's part of a Needlework Primmer Pocket set I made in an embroidery workshop. You can see it's coordinating pieces and read all about that class on my website. It has four pages for needles, so would be useful ... but I find the rest of the set too clunky to use. Cute though, yes?

This post is really a response to a blog entry on Chloe's Place regarding needleworkers and their needlebooks. She issued this challenge:

So, if you have read this far, you must love needlebooks too. Do you have one that you would like to share? If you have, please post it on your own blog and leave a comment here, with the URL, so we can all have a look.

But now I have a confession to make. Though I do sometimes use the red and white needlebooks, usually I don't. My favorite way to contain the needles I use is this magnetic needle safe. It was a gift from a friend, too, and I love it. The needles don't fall out and get lost as easily!


Plus, my LoRan needle threader, thread tucker and scissors all fit inside. There's plenty of room for a ton of needles. I like having a different needle for each color of floss I'm using on a project. I use one side for my tapestry needles, separating them by size. I use the other side for sharps and darners and pins and needles that I don't use as often.

And, yes, I really do line my needles up like that. Heck, I even line up my French fries and Cheetos before I eat them ... just an oddity that I can't help in myself. Gives my kids something to laugh about.
:)