Christmas Frustration leads to Creation.

As my family gets older it gets increasingly harder to figure out what to give them for Christmas. My parents are at the age where they have everything they need, and my sister is at the stage where her apartment is just to small to hold much. I’m sure you’ve all been there with me.

This year I managed to figure out something for my parents but my sister was still problematic. I had her Amazon list but everything on it was so practical and BORING! Stainless steel bowls, really? That’s the sort of thing you get your second cousin twice removed for a wedding gift because you have to buy a gift but don’t really know them. Same thing with the spatulas, wire whisk and assorted other cooking utensils on her list, boooring! On the other hand, if she’s not using them for cooking, I don’t want to know about it.

So she and I were talking one day and she was rummaging thru her knitting case trying to find a set of needles. They were all just laying at the bottom of her bag in a mess that looked more like a game of pick up sticks than a set of knitting needles. Inspiration struck and the idea of her Christmas gift came into place. I got her this bag in pink.  Then I got her a three ring binder with cd pockets to hold her circular and double point needles.  Then, I got out my sewing machine and made this -

The pocked depths are 12″, 9″, 6″, and 4″.  She can put needles up to 15″ long in the top row.  There is a flap that folds in so that when the case is rolled up the items don’t fall out.

Here it is with the flap down.

And here it is all rolled up.

I am very pleased with how it turned out.  I may have to make one for myself.  :) My sister loved her gift, especially the needle roll.  She was very touched that I had made it, and as a fellow crafter appreciated all the work that went into it.   As an artist, her appreciation meant the world to me as I am sure you can all understand.

The only problem is, I scored so well on her gift this year what the heck am I going to give her for next Christmas?  LOL

Heather blogs from her home in Watertown, Wisconsin.  If you would like to read more of her ramblings you can see them here.  And if you want to see some of her work for sale you can see her Etsy and Artfire stores.