It is good of Pete to give me the credit for these , I have been making them for years but to be honest I first saw them when I was working for someone in the antiques industry, it was one of those things that just stuck in my mind. Recently I brought a plank of wood from Yandles specifically for making needle cases, the grain on it was fine enough to allow a spiral decoration and threaded top, but as I got to the end of the bits that I had cut up I realised that I had used the best of the plank and the bits that were left would not take a thread or decoration so well, so I changed the design to the ones with a lace. I have to say Pete has made these his own by changing the beads to the decorative ones ( mine are just turned balls).
There is still room to develop these, made slightly longer they would take a felting needle, or they could be drilled with many smaller diameter holes to take drill bits for instance, loads of different options.
I like Alan's idea of getting ideas for small projects to stave of cabin fever (or pre-meditated murder as my wife calls it)
I have started a facebook page for my club members and if I can work out how I intend to make some short how to videos so that our members can have a go at bits and pieces and then discuss ways to make or design changes, best timebers to use or colours, just like we would on club nights.