What is in your crochet tool kit?

    Since I got back into crocheting "seriously" a little over a year to 2 years ago I have gone thru a series of bags and containers that I store and carry all of my crochet paraphernalia around in. Since I do bring my crochet work with me about everywhere (no telling where you will be able to find a few extra minutes to get projects done) I have gone from carrying a purse and extra bag with yarn, tools and projects in varying degrees of completion to my current travel companion a laptop/messenger bag I got for a steal when we had back-to-school supplies on clearance at my day job. I can put everything in it from my cell phone, tablet, yarn, current projects, notepad, etc. When I go to visit my mother and step-father they always jokingly ask if I am planning on moving in. :-)

       Another of my back-to-school clearance buys was the pencil pouch (above) that when I saw it I knew it would make a perfect place to keep all of my smaller crochet tools in one place. At only $1.00 I knew if that didn't work there would always be some other use for it instead. Up til now I had the hooks and scissors thrown in one of the pockets on whatever bag I was using. The tapestry needles and safety eyes were in one of those little magnetic lipstick cases. Then the yarn and project I was working on would be in another bag.

       So I was looking at the case and remembering the recent series of articles Stacey Trock from FreshStitches did on crochet hooks I got to wondering.... just what tools do other crocheters have in their arsenals and what could they not do without.

 

     The pencil pouch is made of neoprene so I am able to stick the tapestry needles, safety pins and t-pins thru the inner layer. Working (left to right / clockwise) A small tape measure when I have to measure progress. I also have pens to sketch out ideas or write down notes as I design patterns and highlighters to mark changes when editing. There are small, sharp scissors. Next are 2 yarn ball winders for hand-winding center-pull yarn balls which I have discovered do not bounce around when using them. Next are some crochet hooks with bamboo handles (just had to try some different ones after reading Stacey's reviews). Don't quite know how got 2 more pairs of scissors, but I did. "Tip" - the green grips for hooks (the ones you snip the ends off of) are really handy to slip over the tips of your scissors so you don't reach into your bag and stick yourself. In the center are my ergonomic hooks which are my favorite because the tips of my fingers were starting to feel numb and my hands were cramping when I spent too much time hooking (ya, no hooker jokes please). The remaining are my first set of aluminum hooks that sometimes I will use, but have been replaced with the ergonomic ones. Oh and I cannot forget in the back is my favorite tool, my Toshiba Thrive tablet. So much easier to carry around than my laptop and get better viewing online than my smartphone when on the go. Can also store all the .pdf patterns and other files on the removable SD card. I love it!!!

     So I want to know "What so you have in your crochet tool kit?" and "What one item can you not do without?" Come on now I want to hear back from you.

Best Wishes to All this Holiday Season... and Happy Ami - Shannon