Here's my answer for storage of machine needles. This little plastic box holds 12 pkgs. of needles and comes in many other sizes. I use another one to keep my quilting safety pins in. I bought them at Office Max but assume any office supply store has them. The boxes snap closed on the sides so no spills.

I also write on the back of the needle pkg. when they were purchased.

Great idea!

I'm totally curious as to the reason ... as far as I know there's no Best Before Date when it comes to needles ... so please solve my confusion! Thanks!




The needles I buy, come in the little plastic cases just big enough to hold the needles. No extra cards to store.
I keep mine in a smaller plastic container that has dividers so I can sort according to size/type.

probably just for her own information. My MIL dates everything she buys, we kind of rib her about it, but when you live alone it is a good idea to know how long that can of beans has been there or if you really need TP. and far easier than an Excel spread sheet.

At a garage sale I found a metal box with a drawer that was made for small tool. It is about 12" X 12" by about 1" high.
It holds perfectly a tray with filled bobbins and my needle packets. Perfect. I added a depression era glass knob which I love.

[QUOTE=QuiltE;5785659]I'm totally curious as to the reason ... as far as I know there's no Best Before Date when it comes to needles ... so please solve my confusion! Thanks!


It's a habit left over from finding unused thread that I purchased in 1970! Just want to be sure I use up the older products first.

PatG .... thanks! I was starting to wonder if there was something I'd missed!


KalamQ ... I totally understand how things can sit around for eons, if we're not careful.
And when it is food, as you suggested ... you can never be too careful.
For needles, I don't get quite so concerned.

Watch Staples for sales on these little boxes......

they have them for $1.00 each but one time, I was able to purchase them for $ .25 each....

That's right, a "quarter" each and did I ever store up on them..Use them for everything and they look so cute on my shelves.........

Speaking of "use by" dates---my husband is retired AF (since 1980)--and every time the AF moved us, kitchen cabinets just got raked into packing boxes (you know!). Now we have finally settled down, I guess, we have lived in this same house for l6 plus years and not too long ago we had a lesson in our fce club meeting that addressed "use by" dates; so being the astute person I am, I came home and looked at all the dates that I could find in my house. You'll never guess what I found in my spice rack--pumpkin spice priced at l7 cents....when was that ever? I should have saved that for a collector, huh?

I use Altoids and a few misc. metal boxes and write on the lid in permanent marker what type needle is in each box. I store them in a shallow drawer next to my sewing machine. I always take a pack with me when I go to classes or retreats or workshops.