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Daesania wrote: I've used the same needle since i started cross stitching a couple years ago, and it came in a kit. Its bent to my hand so i kinda like it.

I know what you mean!

My favourite needle also came in a kit. It's so worn that the silver has come off, it's bent to the exact shape of my fingers. I think I even transferred it over from the previous project so it's been around at least 15 years...

Rose wrote:I keep mine in the package they come in until I need one. then I take it and put it in to a pin cushion that I have hot glued to the stand that hold my chart board. I usually have 3 in there at a time one of each size that I like to use 26, 24 and 22. This is so I can stitch on all my projects and have the right needle handy.

I use the same needle until it breaks or I take it out on a trip and lose it. I have been very lucky of late as I have not lost a needle for over a year. I have had a few break in that time but not to bad.

I'm with Rose, I just use one or so at a time. The rest that are waiting are stored in a funny little, I guess it's a pencil case thing, I bought for $1 at Staples. It's about 6 inches long and 2 inches high and is great for storing my extra needles (in there original pack for the most part) extra scissors, circular cutter, threaders, etc.

The one I am using on the project is parked on the edge of the fabric and my spares are kept in the original packaging they came in

At the moment they're all parked on the pako organiser (Dogs project) apart from the one on the surprise sampler and one on the Instant human.

Usually they are just kept in small plastic bags. One day I'll buy a special needle case to keep them.

I have an amount of needles "parked" in my Pako organiser (for my DMC Leopard project).
Then a few more attached to a LoRan magnetic needle organiser (for the Evening Star project).

And any unused/spare/extra needles are sorted by size into "craft stacker" tubs.

I keep all my needles in a Pako thread organiser,whether it's a large or small project i'm working on,i think i'll need a new Pako soon as mine is getting very worn,i'm also on my third opus floor stand as i wear them out too.

in a square pill box, it's metal and has a plastic picture on it from Hummel design. I got it when I was in Cologone and just has 3 sections, perfect size for needles. All thrown in, lord knows what size is what.

Daesania wrote:Either I'm incredibly responsible or incredibly lucky. I've used the same needle since i started cross stitching a couple years ago, and it came in a kit. Its bent to my hand so i kinda like it.

i've had the same needle for 15 years..only used that one..till a few months ago..the eye of the needle broke. I did feel very sad..

I keep about 4 of them on a magnetic strip on my lapstand. The rest are stored in their original packages and scattered throughout the house guaranteeing that I won't be able to find them when I need them.

I got into a lot of confetti stitches in my Balloons last week and I really hated threading and rethreading the needle I was using every time I changed colors. I had several packages of backup needles so I brought those and when I was done with a color I just stuck the needle through the threads on the bobbin and picked up a need needle for the next thread. I think I got about 20 colors threaded that way in one day. I still have 30 more colors for that project so I'm going to need more needles.

I found out I was using 24, 26 and 28 size needles. The one I had been using from the start was 24. I always had some trouble getting through the hole in a square if all the other squares surrounding it had been done. Most of the needles I had were 26s. I found these smaller and seemed flimsy compared to the 24s but they went through the full corners like magic. After using a few of those I picked up a 24 and that now felt down right bulky. The fabric is 18ct. I tried 28s once before and I found that there didn't feel like a whole lot of needle to grab unto and threading that smaller eye was difficult unaided. I think I might convert to 26s and I'm sure I could get use to them.

I keep my needle on the side of the project I am working on. And extra needles in my floss box.

*looks sheepish* When I'm working I keep my needles in my mouth while they're not in use. And yes, you were right. I now have a blooming hole in my tooth from resting the needles there. And I almost gave the parcelman a heart attack when he noticed that I was talking to him with a needle in my mouth

Other than that, I used to keep them in their cases, now I have a needlecase and I store them in that. I don't have different cases for different sizes and my needlecase has only two pages. One for tapestry needles (as I only use one size needle for stitching no matter the fabric. Size 28s ftw), and the other page is for my very sharp sewing needles. No idea what size they are. I got around three hundred in my sewing kit and I store a selection of them in the case, the rest in the wooden box kit.

[quote="Angel"]*looks sheepish* When I'm working I keep my needles in my mouth while they're not in use. And yes, you were right. I now have a blooming hole in my tooth from resting the needles there. And I almost gave the parcelman a heart attack when he noticed that I was talking to him with a needle in my mouth quote]

In your mouth? You're braver than I! I'd be terrified of accidentally swallowing one.

I'm like Sherry, it's on the side of my project when I'm not stitching. Possibly being a bit bad as I just shove it into the fabric but it's on the framing space and it is through the holes... My main concern is not to lose it - I once dropped one from my second kit onto old floorboards where it promptly rolled down a gap and I had to plunder the kit waiting to be started for another needle!

hehe yes, in my mouth. It used to drive the older forum members nuts worrying that I'd swallow one and need to be carted away to hospital But yeah, it just sits there, and I can talk, even sing and dance with it there and it's fine. Never come even remotely close to swallowing it.

I received a magnetic needle minder as a gift and as I use a metal chart holder it sits perfectly near the edge on there. Needles are secure. Actually so much more secure than my old method of popping it into the fabric and then not seeing where it is. I know the minder was meant to be used to attach to the fabric but I find it too heavy for that way. So I actually have two magnets, the pretty part and the backing magnet.

I keep mine in their packages, and then they're stored in a bag with all my other accessories... inside a dresser drawer.

On my side table I have a small tin which I keep my new packets of needles in, a small pear of scissors and also a thin magnetic needlecase which holds my used needles. When I'm doing large blocks of colour, then I thread up as many needles as I can and lodge them in a needle organiser thingy which fits very nicely on the flat part of my needlework stand.

I keep my needles in the packaging I bought them in. As for the needle I am currently using, when not stitching, I keep it in the fabric. In an area I know will be waste area- close to the edge where I know it will be covered by the matte, or cut off.

For some reason, I break needles fairly regularly. I go through two with most projects, sometimes three. The eyes crack.
My mother has a piece of scrap felt or quilting fabric that she keeps her needles in. Labeled on the back of the fabric what size it is

I have a cute little pink pig pincushion that sits on my loungechair arm. That's where my needles live when I'm not using them. I used to just stick them directly into the lounge arm, but my husband kept insisting on sitting in my stitching spot and stabbing himself. Somehow this was my fault!

Spare needles remain in their package. The ones I'm working with I put on a small clip-magnet.





I bought them at one of the supermarkets