I recently finished two new needlebooks, both for myself for different purposes, but they are fun to make and easy to personalize. I find it very useful to have a needlebook on hand to keep your needles and a few favorite pins in. They are slightly different – which design do you prefer?
Minki Kim Sashiko Bunny Needlebook
This first needlebook is a Minki Kim design – I love her free motion sewing illustrations. It’s a technique I’ll have to try someday soon. You can get the pattern for this in her book “Sew Illustrated”. I made this needlebook to go with my Denim & Sashiko Tote I made earlier this year. The bunny fabric is some very special Japanese dobby I bought on my last trip to Hawaii (10 years ago!), and is also featured in the tote. My intent is to make the tote my mending bag to store my darning mushrooms and sashiko threads. My very favorite part of the needlebook, though, is the back.
The back features a large sashiko cherry blossom, stitched in pink thread on dark denim. I love it so much!
I originally wanted a pocket on the inside, but I made it in denim and everything was just too bulky when I put it together. Ripping the pocket out was the best solution. Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back.
Amy Sinibaldi Christmas Tree Needlebook
The second needlebook is Christmas themed, featuring a Christmas tree decked in sequins. I love making things for Christmas and this will be the perfect place to put those beading and embroidery needles. Amy Sinibaldi’s Needlebook Tutorial was the design I used, and is the same design I used for the first needlebook I made myself in 2015. I used some linen and two fabrics from Amy’s Little Town line of quilting fabrics.
A scrap of the selvedge from one of the fabrics decorates the back along with some sequins. It’s a testament to Amy’s design that whenever I think of a needlebook, I think of her design. It’s the perfect size in the hand and there’s so much potential to make it as plain or as fancy as you like. Once you’ve embellished the cover, it takes practically no time to finish the project.
Here are all three of my needlebooks – the first one I made is on the left (using Fig Tree Quilt’s Aloha Girl fabrics and Amy’s design, with an added internal pocket). Do you enjoy making needlebooks? What is your favorite design to use?
