Stitchy Goodies

Posted by Maggie Thostenson on

Let's talk needle minders. What are they? Are they needed? What are the different types of minders and magnets?

 

Needle Minder Sizes

Needle minders come in a variety of types and styles, I carry the button style minders in two sizes. The small ones are an inch in diameter, the larger ones are 1 1/2 inches. You wouldn't think that a 1/2 inch would make a big difference but it really does.

 

The ones found on my site are a combination of designs I've either made or purchased by other means. Some are made from photos where others are designed in graphic software. The best part of these is that I can make virtually any design you can think of. Having a retreat or stitching get together? I can design something personally for your group. Have a favorite theme, team, animal, color? Again, personalized needle minders can be made just by contacting me. I'm happy to work up designs based on your vision.

 

Are they necessary? Of course not, however they do serve a purpose and are a fun addition to our stitching time. Many people, myself included, have dropped needles, sometimes you find them, sometimes you don't, sometimes you find them in the most unexpected places! Having needle minders on my work area helps me to keep track of my needles when I'm picking new floss strands, or the phone rings, or the doggies need to go out for a walk, or any number of other interruptions that are a part of life. Rather than push my needle into my work potentially leaving larger holes, or leaving it hang to potentially get lost, or even holding in my mouth which can have disastrous consequences, having a nifty needle minder on my work that catches that needle and holds it till I'm ready for it again, is a life saver. And it's not just for needles!

 

I use mine to hold my scissors, tweezers, parked threads, even paper patterns. They are just so handy and so much fun too. I can have sayings that are inspirational or reminders for myself, I can have minders that match the project I'm working on, or even my grime guard. I can have minders that match my mood or state of mind, funny, serious, cute, pretty, they are all possible.

 

Needle Minder Magnets

Now let's take a minute to talk about the magnets used. I know, I know, there are many people that absolutely refuse to use minders with black magnets and for good reason. The important thing to know here is that not all magnets are made the same. Silver neodymium magnets are generally preferred, they are small and strong and don't leave any black marks on your fabric. However, they can be too strong and hard to take apart, they can be brittle and when snapped together can break. I do use neodymium magnets on my larger sized minders, the depth of the space on the back side of the button is such that the thinner silver magnets fit better.

 

In my smaller size minders I use black ceramic magnets. Not quite as strong but still holds extremely well. But the most important part to note is that they are industrial grade ceramic, they will not leave black marks behind on your fabric. Many of the black magnets you get at Michael's or Joann's or other craft type stores are made of some type of rubbery substance. I'm not even sure what it is, but you can feel the difference. Those can leave marks on your work and they lose strength over time. The ceramic magnets I provide do not. You can rest assured that I use quality magnets in each of my needle minders.

 

I hope I've cleared any confusion about my needle minders for you. So remember, if you're looking for a design or color I don't currently have, or are looking for something for a special occasion, feel free to message me and we can work together to get you exactly what you like.

Until next time, just keep stitching...

Maggie

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