FO: DPN Cases

Question: When is a placement not a placement?

Answer: When it is double pointed needle case

Last winter (yes, I am very late posting about these), I decided that I needed a dpn case. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, and I have a sewing machine and some basic sewing skills, so I thought that I would give it shot and see what happened. My original plan was to sew one like this. I started to, and it was coming out quite nice, but then it occurred to me that I wanted my slots to fit the needles exactly. As in, I didn’t want to have a big slot with tiny needles flopping around, and I couldn’t measure for the right size slots without having the needles. If I was going to make my own dpn case, then it was going to fit my needles. Unfortunately, I only have needles sizes 1-10, and I figure that I will probably get more down the road.

While I was working at the table trying to figure out how I wanted to go forward, I noticed that the needles were on one of my placemats, and they seemed to fit perfectly. I had an epiphany moment, where I realized that I could make a really, really inexpensive dpn case that would hold the needles that I have now. Then, later on, when I get more needles, I can take the time to make a nicer case.

The next day, I ran out to Walmart, and I picked up a bunch of striped placemats (see picture above for an example). I believe that they were on sale for a dollar each. Why did I buy a “bunch”? Well, because when I get an idea in my head, I tend to get pretty fixated, and simply making one would not satisfy that fixation.

A few days later, I happened to be at Kmart, and their Martha Stewart placements were on sale ($2, I think), and I picked up the placemat that I used in the above two pictures. This one is actually my favorite, and I ended up keeping it for myself.

I used ribbon and buttons to close them, up, and viola, a quick and inexpensive solution to dpn needle disorder.

If you look at the top picture, I gave the blue one to Kristin (for whom this was not the best gift, since she went crazy on ebay and bought more dpn needles than fit in the case), the next one down is mine, the red striped case was given to my friend Paula, and the green one on the bottom is still waiting for an owner. I actually have two more that are not in the picture.

I am pleased with my creative little cases (although I know I am not the first to use placements for this purpose, I hadn’t heard of it when I made mine).   Mine is functional and suits my needs perfectly.  Someday, when I expand my needle collection, I will sew up the case that is in my head.