Recycled Container Portable Yarn Holders - Sewuseful

This is an easy and inexpensive storage system for yarn.

Need a place to put your yarn to make it portable so you can knit anywhere? Tired of having your different yarn get tangled and intertwined? Into reusing, recycling and hate for anything to go to waste? This is the project for you! These are so easy to make and have made my life so much easier. They are great for taking a bit of yarn on the road with you or just for sorting yarn at home when your project involves more than one yarn.

Too busy knitting to make them yourself? You're in luck! Buy them at Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6415728

Old Food Containers
Grommets or eyelets
Grommet or eyelet tool
Plastic tubing
Cutting device
Felted wool (optional)
Very hot water

Using a xacto knife or hole punching awl, punch a hole in the lid of a plastic container. You can soften the plastic by pouring very hot (recently boiled, not boiling) water over the lid and or cutting device. Make sure the hole is a little bit smaller than the eyelet.

If the holes are smooth and large enough to loop your yarn through, you are done and ready to go. Grommets worked great for me because they make the yarn entrance smooth and keeps the yarn from snagging. I do not use the traditional eyelet backing as you will see in the next step.

Cut 1/4 inch pieces of rubber tubing in sizes to match the grommets. After they are in the hot water they will stretch to fit over the grommet. Strain the tubing and force them over the eyelets. They will cool and form a tight seal and keep your yarn from snagging on sharp medal.

When your yarn is very thick, there may not be a practical size of grommet for you. Cut the hole larger and then make two circles of felted wool. Cut holes in the center of these and glue them in place around the hole. Now you thick and chunky wool will slide through the hole with ease.

Load up your yarn and thread through the top. Use a yarn needle if you need to. If you use a tall container you can also put your needles in the container and let them poke through.