Help needed from any knitters out there.

[Naylor's Ark]

My mum has started knitting again after many years absence from the hobby. I'm intending to make my mum a bag for Christmas, to hold all the things she needs while making her project.
Now, since I haven't done any knitting since I was about 10, ( a long time ago!) I don't know what things she will need to hold in the bag.
Can someone kindly give me an idea of the items and size they will take up in the bag. What would your ideal bag be like?
I'm thinking of making it partially out of leather and possibly painting a design on the outside.

[exile]

Gosh what an open question and one that is rather difficult to answer with precision.

Needles and wool is an obvious answer but behind that are a whole host of options.

Based on OH's knitting accoutrements:

Single ended needles in pairs in a range of sizes. If your mother has just started then probably a rather limited range but OH has needles up to curtain pole size and 50cm long! I don't think she has ever used them but....

I would suggest perhaps 10 pairs of needles (different diameter sizes) and about 35 cm long - perhaps allow 40cm because there does not seem to be a standard length.

Double ended needles - again a range of sizes but kept in sets of 4. Length about 20cm

Kilt safety pins - for holding sets of stitches - probably just need two 20cm long x 3-4 cm wide.

Large eyed sewing needles for sewing up - 15 cm long perhaps a bit more.

Then there is the wool. Is the bag going to carry it all (perhaps 20 balls 15x10cm each) or just what she needs immediately - 2 balls or perhaps more if she is doing multi coloured work.

Then she needs to be able to put the current work in the bag - 2 needles 1 ball of wool plus the bit she is knitting now plus the bits sh has finished but has not yet sewn up.

and importantly plus the pattern.

I am sure I will have forgotten things (long time since I was knitting too).

[Naylor's Ark]

Thanks [mention]exile[/mention] . That's a help. Generally, I just need and idea of sizes etc for the space required and any pockets needed.