A case for Options

I have become addicted to the interchangeable Options knitting needles offered by Knit Picks, specifically the harmony needles.  I love these things, you can change needle sizes or cable lengths easily and quickly, the cables in combination with the little end caps work great for holding your stitches for you as you finish off another part of the project.  It is also very easy to try a garment on using these as I discovered while knitting my hell-sweater.  I am also quite happy with the fact that I can fold them up rather easily to fit into a little project bag to take with me just like fixed circulars.  The needles are constructed of laminated pieces of birch wood that have been stained different rainbow colors, really quite beautiful to work with; and if I am going to be spending that much time creating something shouldn't my tools be just as beautiful as the finished object?

They have just enough grip to hold my yarn without it falling off but are slick enough that the yarn will slide off when you need it to.  Plus they are nice and quiet, I hate the click-clacking of metal knitting needles, drives me absolutely batty!  A number of ravelers have complained of the needle tips coming out of the metal sleeve that attaches to the cable or of the whole needle unscrewing from the cable whilst knitting but I have had none of these difficulties.  I use the tightening key every time I attach the needles to a cable and make sure it is nice and tight thus eliminating any loosening problems;  and I suspect the metal sleeve issue arises from holding the wood while twisting the needle onto the cable rather than holding onto the metal sleeve itself.  I really can't say enough nice things about these needles, except that I want one in every size and I don't have them all yet!

Recently I have found that a way is needed to store my rapidly growing collection of these suckers and with Mister Vonkysmeed being currently out of work we really don't have the funds for me to go out and buy a mass produced case for my lovelies.  Also, I like to try to create for myself if at all possible and since I made my own knitting bag, accessory pouch, knitting needle roll, and assorted project bags I decided to use what I already have and make my own case for the options needles, can't be that hard can it?  After looking at many, many images of cases for interchangeable needles online I had a design in mind, a trifold case with the needles in the center portion, the cables at one end, and a zippered pocket on the final flap to store the tightening keys and cable caps. I assembled it roughly the same way a needle case is constructed (sorry for the minimal pics of it in progress, promise to do better next time!), layering together outside fabric, then interfacing and light batting, than the inner fabric, than the pouch pieces.

First I made prepared the fabric I would be using to make the pockets for the needles and cables by sewing a 9.5" x 11.5" piece of fabric in half (I basically made a tube), pulling the right side out and then sewing the tube to the lining fabric and the interfacing {measuring 11.5" x 18.5"} along the bottom of the future pocket.  I then made the little pockets to hold the needles by sewing straight lines about every inch along the strip of fabric I just sewed onto the lining (I sewed these lines only along the pocket fabric, lining, & interfacing, this way the seams would not be visible from the outside of the case).




To make the pockets for the cables I took another piece of pocket fabric (one of the tubes I already made) and pinned it along the bottom of the lining and interfacing to make one of the folds, then I just divided the width of the fabric by thirds and sewed two lines to form three pockets for the cables as I only have three sizes right now.  After making a rather sloppy zippered pocket on the first portion of the trifold case (I have only recently overcome my fear of zippers and am still admittedly a little rough at their sewing), I sewed the whole shebang together inside out except for a portion of the bottom to fold it right side out.  After folding it out I made a little loop for the button and stitched the open end closed over the ends of the button loop.  Once folded out I stitched all around 3/8" in from the edge and then across the whole case where the folds would occur.

Finished measurements are unfolded, 10.5" x 17.5", and folded 10.5" x 7".  Unfortunately I think it came out kind of big and floppy, adjustments are needed, stat!  I decided to tear it partially apart and move the cable pockets up and on top of the needle pockets about 1.5" below the needle pocket openings, with a little flap to fold over at the end to button the whole thing up (still essentially a trifold case).  Additionally I added another pocket on the bottom flap since I had to have the flap there anyway to attach the button to.  This makes the whole case still 10.5" x 6.5" when folded and only 10.25" x 15.3" when laid out flat.  I am still not totally happy with it (seems a bit large even now), but it serves its purpose, holding all my interchangeable needles and cables safely.  Maybe if I had used a heavier interfacing I would have been happier, perhaps if I starch it a little, that will help, hmmm...

If you want me to make a more detailed tutorial leave me a comment to let me know, if enough people request it I'll make another of these cases and take better pictures and measurements so I can write a clearer post about it to share with all of you.  Double bonus brownie points if you caught my homonymic pun in the title of this post. ;)