Lost...Ounces of Prevention

[Judith Connors]

I use #28 and #26 tapestry needles. I have two of those little glass/plastic tube containers with stoppers in which I once bought beads - one for #28, the other for #26. So that I can tell the difference in a hurry, I have cut off the size from the card on which I bought them originally, and dropped it inside the tube with the needles. The little tubes will fit in your bag/pocket without your losing the needles.

[Judy]

I had great visions of getting things under control with a larger tin box, but alas, the ball of thread for this project doesn't fit. Moved it to another box and promptly mislaid it. The only way I can keep track of things and find them is to pretend that I'm cleaning out a drawer, desk, closet, or whatever. Magically, things I've been looking for reappear!

[greatxiasghost]

i started keeping just my thread in a half gallon ziplock bag and completed items in a different bag. so far i have only lost my micro tatting needle which i could barely see anyway. i keep 2 pairs of sisors with me so if i lose 1 i have a spare.

[shannon_in_love]

something also that i have at my disposal for take alongs is a... Nintendo ds case. it has elastic in it where you can put needles, a pouch to put small projects an elastic strap to lay stuff and i just found out that my tatting needle fits perfectly.

[Lynn]

Once upon a time I thought that I did not really have a stash. That's because, instead of keeping all my tatting stuff together, I squirreled little bits and pieces away in all kinds of niches. Then I did some major cleaning and reorganizing, and discovered that I have about three drawers full of tatting thread, plus my shuttles and beads and needles and hooks. So, I am in the process of organizing the threads into color and size, and am getting those Lock and Lock boxes to put them in. Now, when I want a certain thread, like the yellow that went MIA for so long, (see my thread in the Lounge titled Twisted Threads: a Tatting Saga), I have a pretty good idea where to begin looking for it. And I still always am careful to put everything away as I finish using it while I tat, even if I know I'll have to get it out again before the tatting session is over. Learned the hard way that just laying a hook down beside me is no guarantee that's where it will be the next time I want it.

[gahorsley]

oh I see I am not the only one suffering with the "where to put it" dilemma. what great ideas you all have shared. when I first started tatting I thought "what a neat hobby to take up...it requires so few supplies" yeah, right!!!! I started out with a snack size zip loc bag, moved up to a little bitty makeup bag, then added a cute little soap box, then added a manilla folder for patterns, now I've progressed on to two shoe box size totes added to the previous, and on and on it goes. Right! A couple of things that I use are prescription medicine bottles for size 80 thread I am using, an empty box that held lead for my lead pencils for needles, and of course today at the thrift shop I had to buy a hard eyeglass case for my wip'S because someone had said that was a must have. Also I piced up a couple more little bags to keep separate WIP's in which can be grabbed as I head out the door or kept in the car or in my purse. The baggie was tearing up!

[kocuria]

don't know if that was mentioned yet - you can try and use polymer clay (fimo or the like) to sculp a handle around the hook/needle, bake it in your oven and if it's metal it'd be good as new but upcycled nice alternative for rubber bands, i think.

[susiearnholt]

I got a jewelry box for tatting supplies. Then, I got a bookshelf. Then, I got a tool box. PLUS, I have a giant "under the bed" box for thread. Each project goes in its own "very useful box" from Staples (I'm up to at least 10 of those). I keep the needles mostly together with a "needle keeper" that is magnetized, and I put some shorted crochet hooks on a chain with pinch bails. At the moment, I'm feeling mostly organized...but new supplies are always calling my name!

[michelea]

Kept changing to bigger and bigger containers trying to keep things in one place that was easily portable. Recently found an insulated cooler at a drug store. It has a top and bottom section for two six packs. My growing "bag o' beads" goes into the lower six pack section, along with the few lace books I have gotten so far. Threads go into the upper six pack section. A small bag with many outside "pencil" pockets holds whatever I am working on at the moment, along with scissors, needles, gauges, etc. in the pockets. So far, the little bag will also fit in the cooler.
Feel a little silly saying I use a cooler as a container, but it works really well. Even has a shoulder strap so it's easy to move around. XD

[MercyPres]

Kept changing to bigger and bigger containers trying to keep things in one place that was easily portable. Recently found an insulated cooler at a drug store. It has a top and bottom section for two six packs. My growing "bag o' beads" goes into the lower six pack section, along with the few lace books I have gotten so far. Threads go into the upper six pack section. A small bag with many outside "pencil" pockets holds whatever I am working on at the moment, along with scissors, needles, gauges, etc. in the pockets. So far, the little bag will also fit in the cooler.
Feel a little silly saying I use a cooler as a container, but it works really well. Even has a shoulder strap so it's easy to move around. XD

What a neat idea. We are going on a car trip soon and I think this will keep my stuff easier to access and corralled better in the car than a bag.