diff --git a/knittingpattern/InstructionLibrary.py b/knittingpattern/InstructionLibrary.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/knittingpattern/InstructionLibrary.py
+++ b/knittingpattern/InstructionLibrary.py
@@ -44,4 +44,15 @@ class DefaultInstructions(InstructionLibrary):
         return self.as_instruction(self._type_to_instruction[item])
 
 
+_default_instructions = None
+
+
+def default_instructions():
+    global _default_instructions
+    if _default_instructions is None:
+        _default_instructions = DefaultInstructions()
+    return _default_instructions
+        
+
+
 __all__ = ["InstructionLibrary", "DefaultInstructions"]
diff --git a/knittingpattern/test/test_default_instructions.py b/knittingpattern/test/test_default_instructions.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/knittingpattern/test/test_default_instructions.py
+++ b/knittingpattern/test/test_default_instructions.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from test import *
-from knittingpattern.InstructionLibrary import DefaultInstructions
+from knittingpattern.InstructionLibrary import DefaultInstructions, default_instructions
 
 
 @fixture
default_instructions() is a singleton now