How to organize embroidery needles: Needle organization tips and storage ideas

How to organize embroidery needles

If the above reasons convince you to organize your embroidery needles, let’s see how you can make it fast and effectively!

Gather and sort all embroidery needles

Check your current storage areas, including embroidery kits, WIPs, drawers, and workspaces. Ensure all needles, including loose ones, are collected.

When all the needles are in one place, sort them by type. Needles come in various types and sizes, from sharps to tapestry needles. Start by sorting them into categories based on their use. Consider having sections for:

• Embroidery needles, aka Crewel needles (for floss and thread)
• Tapestry needles (blunt needles for cross-stitch and whipping)
• Beading needles (for delicate beadwork)
• Straw needles, aka Milliner needles (for French knots and hand sewing)
• Darning needles (for mending knitwear)

This makes it easy to grab the right tool, depending on the project you’re working on.

Need help determining which needle does what? Read the article “Hand Embroidery Needles and All You Need to Know to Choose the Right One” for clarity.

Clean and inspect the needles

Examine needles for rust, bent tips, or dull points. Discard any damaged ones to avoid ruining your fabric.

Clean needles glide smoothly through the fabric, reducing the risk of snagging or staining. Use a soft cloth to clean needles and remove dust or oils. For fine needles, use a slightly damp cloth to avoid accidental bending.

If your needle is not bent or rusty but is dull, use a needle sharpener to save the needle and make it as sharp as it was out of the package. These needle sharpeners are a cute and functional addition to your needle storage solution:

Choose an organizational method

Now that you know how many and what kind of needles you have, it’s time to choose the organizational method that will work best for you. An appropriate storage method will protect the needles and make retrieval seamless and convenient.

We all have different working spaces, habits, and needs. Therefore, the best way to organize embroidery needles will be different for each of us. You may skip selecting a new method if you already have a preferred needle organization method.

Below, I share my favorite method how to organize embroidery needles. It works for me, but if you need to modify it, go ahead and optimize it to fit your needs.

A needle book or a pincushion for fast access

My favorite place to keep the needles I use the most in one easily accessible place – my needle book. It’s more convenient than a pin cushion, as I want to take my embroidery projects when we travel. I keep one embroidery needle of each size in my needle book. Also, I keep a couple of blunts, sewing needles in several sizes, some pins, and a beading needle in my needle book.

If you wish to sew and embroider a needlebook, the “Hand embroidered needle book tutorial: Free embroidery pattern and easy step-by-step guide” will help you with each step of this work.

Label and store the rest of the needles in a safe place

Once sorted, place the rest of your needles, which you do not use daily, in labeled compartments, magnetic boxes, or needle cases.

I store my needles in their original packages in a drawer. I have some discovery packs, glass tubes, small plastic boxes, and plastic bags there. The most important thing is that I know the size and type of the needle, so it’s easy to find one when needed.

If you decide to store the needles outside the original packages, use stickers, markers, or printed labels to identify needle types and sizes. Include additional details, such as the brand or purpose (e.g., beading needles). Labels save time and prevent the frustration of searching for the right needle.

Maintain an inventory

If you have a vast inventory of embroidery needles and want to take your organization to the next level, consider maintaining an inventory. This can be as simple as jotting down the types and quantities of needles you have in a notebook or using a digital app. By keeping track of when you purchase or discard needles, you can ensure your inventory is always up to date. This prevents duplicate purchases and ensures you always have the right needle for your project.

An inventory prevents duplicate purchases and ensures you always find the right needle. If you have a small collection, inventory tracking is really optional.