Traveling sewing tool kit

Nice site Leslie. Once I get the new computer and everthing else migrated I'll need to bookmark this. Looks like they have great tools and threads and prices seem to be pretty reasonable.

Thanks, Kim in NJ

Those "all in one" things are interesting, but always seem to have things I don't need, and never have things I do need! What I did for travel was make a "box" about 6" by 6" and 2" deep from quilted bits and with a zipper around 3 sides of the top. It holds everything I need for stitching on a trip, and squishes very nicely to take up almost no room in my suitcase. When I stitch, I simply unzip the top, and everything is completely handy and won't roll away. The quilting itself is handy to stick pins into, and to hold several threaded needles. And I keep my wee little scissors on a long ribbon to wear like a necklace, the ribbon long enough so the scissors rest in my lap while I stitch. A sandwich baggie keeps the spool of thread tangle- free.

Several times on ships various women have seen it and asked to measure it and take notes so they can make their own soft and squishable travel sewing "boxes". If you want to make one, start by measuring a zipper you want to use, because the zipper needs to go around 3 sides of the top. (For an 18" zipper, that means your box will be 6" square

-- 18" divided by 3. For a 24" zipper, your box will be 8" square --

24" divided by 3.) Also, use double-fold bias tape for binding the edges of the quilted pieces. For a pin cushion during travel, make one with scraps to match, stuffed with batting scraps.

LOL. When I saw those at the shop my first thought was "Oh good, I can "lose" 12 tools all at once!!" I tend to have multiples of essential tools so that there is one in several different travel boxes. And inevitably I can't find what I want in the box I grab. sigh.

One of these years I *will* be organized.

Pati, in Phx