By golly, I think I’ve about got my travel/class sewing act together!
Every week, I seem to refine things a bit more. This week I added a paper lunch bag and a bit of blue painter’s tape to my “class” kit. This “trash can” is to hold bits of thread and leftover fabric. The space where my Friday group meets has one trash can for the entire room. This will keep things much tidier in my work area.
I tend to travel light to sew-ins and classes. I take a wheeled sewing machine case (Featherweight or 3/4 size Elna STAR) and one canvas tote bag with supplies. That’s it. No matching sewing luggage trio with 3 big bags or an overflowing collapsible rolling trolley. Quilters are sharing folks. If I forget something, I can usually borrow the needed item from another attendee. I gladly share my supplies in return.
The machine I take depends on what I’m doing at the sew-in or class. My FW and Elna STAR stay packed and ready to travel. Everything else stays in a canvas tote bag – including an 18×24 folding cutting mat, 12×18 wool pressing mat, basic ruler set, sewing pouch, travel iron, water bottle, Best Press, press cloth, power strip and *now* trash bag. I simply edit the tote bag contents as needed to fit the activities for the sew-in or class. The most frequent additions are a portable light and rotating cutting mat.
For retreats, I usually add an additional bin with multiple precut projects, a handwork project, chocolate and some quilting magazines. Oh, and a suitcase!
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