Studio Organizing, Week 20

Posted on May 14, 2015 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing Challenge

My sewing machine is home! And you would not believe how much quieter and nicer she runs now.

machinearea

Her doctor, Tammy, said she pulled out two large compacted balls of lint the size of ping-pong balls, and that she needed oil badly. Yuck! It’s a wonder she was still working at all!

Dr. Tammy suggested that I start bringing her in twice a year, if I was going to continue sewing as much as I did this time. Since I have no plans to lessen up the amount of sewing I’m doing, I guess I’ll just have to take her in more often!

For the next few days, I’m in Minneapolis, MN, at International Quilt Market, so here’s this week’s task:

Put together a travel sewing kit

I have several traveling projects that I can pick up and take with me at a moment’s notice. This little carton containing pieces for my Yo-Yo quilt is just one of them.

yoyos

In it, I have the pieces, the needle and threads, my Thimblepad, and there’s supposed to be a little pair of scissors down in there. Everything I need to work on this project in one portable container that I can grab and go with.

When those pieces are all sewn, I remove them to the larger project bin, and replace them with pieces that aren’t yet sewn. I’ll leave it all together like this until it’s done. That way, I’m not missing any of the things I need when I get somewhere and want to work on it.

What about you?

Do you have a travel project already packed up and ready to go?

Do you need to make one?

If you already have one, does it need to be reorganized, replenished, cleaned out?

Do you borrow things from it when you’re not traveling, and then have to put it back together again when it’s time to go somewhere? Try to put together a complete kit, and vow not to borrow from it, so that it’s always ready.

Chunks of time spent waiting can be used to further a project along, and all those little sessions add up over time, and you’ll eventually have a finished project. Lunch hours, waiting rooms, road trips, or even just sitting out on the porch of an evening — have a project ready, and you won’t be wondering what to do with all that time that might otherwise be wasted!

So . . . What’s your travel project?

12 responses to “Studio Organizing, Week 20”

  1. I am doing embroidery on 12 quilt blocks that I picked up at my guild that were already pieced, just no hand work done. When I get them embroidered, I’ll put the quilt together and quilt it before taking it back to the group for someone else to bind and it will be added to our “Mountain of Quilts” that will be donated. I hate hand work and didn’t know what I was getting when I volunteered to take these to put together, but I will obviously be getting some time to do hand work in the near future.

  2. Cynthia says:

    I have a hexagon hand piecing travel project at the moment but am thinking I need to prepare a new project just in case I finish this one to quickly. Generally have 2-3 project on the go, so I have a little bit of variety. So the fact I only have 1 is playing on my mind.

  3. Karen says:

    My travel project is Beads of Courage bags for serious ill children. You can read about the program at http://www.beadsofcourage.org

  4. Kathy says:

    I have a sewing kit in my purse that I purchased a while ago. Someone always needs something sewed.

    My take along kit is hexies. I have a small/tiny pin cushion for my needles to bed in. thread, shaped hexies with paper ready to be sewn. I take 25 sets (7 papered hexies each) to do, scissors and anything else to go with them.I have 225 of them done so far. I have another 175 to go that will give me 400. Then there is the garden path and the white around each one. Maybe another 400 or so. SIGH!!! They are 2″ hexies.

    I’m also getting the urge to do yoyo’s. My only thought is how big and do I want to do a whole quilt or just a throw for the back of my loveseat? Maybe a bed rug? HMM?

  5. Meloney says:

    Well, my machine is ready to go if the weather would just cooperate a little more.
    I won’t travel across town with the crazy storms that have been going through. San Antonians don’t travel well in rain and I don’t want to risk it.
    As soon as the weather clears a bit, I’ll be taking her in.
    As far as the travel bag, I have a few, but I don’t think there are many projects in them. I need to get a new applique project going, or one of my UFOs. http://melsquiltingblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/prairie-moon-organization.html

  6. Cindy says:

    My current travel project is my Hexies. I’ve been working on it quite a bit here lately while”waiting” so I do need to restock it. I also want to prep some wool applique projects that I can grab and go.

  7. Rose Marie says:

    Omigosh………….I do need a new travel project and soon. I will be traveling a lot in June. I have two travel projects that I have set aside as too boring or demanding or something. I need something interesting and exciting and easy!!

  8. Pam in KC says:

    My travel project is supposed to be my Star-A-Day quilt. I have a little kit that has everything in it and when I’m on the ball, I have anywhere from 3 – 9 stars cutout and waiting to stitch. Needless to say, I haven’t been on the ball for at least 2 months. I’ve got to trace off more stars, but I’ve been focused on the graduation quilt. Now that it’s done (well still needs binding but it’s being delivered tomorrow), I’ve got to do things like clean the kitchen and laundry — I don’t think I have a clean dish or piece of clothes in the house.

  9. I have a hexie travel project. Nothing fancy, just a cute felt Christmas bag someone gave me a gift in. I have a box for my hexies and the glue pen. A clear square candy tin for my scissors and thread – oh, and fabric. Take it everywhere.

  10. Ginny Smith says:

    I admit I do travel handwork BUT it is knitting. i usually have more than one going. Not very interesting for you that only quilt but it is say to take and easier to do in the truck while traveling. Small needles are dangerous with the ride of the truck.

  11. Susie Q says:

    hexies are my travel project and they live in a lunch box – I do not borrow things from it, but it could probably use cleaning out….. I just hate to throw away little bits of fabric.

  12. Sue Hook says:

    I have a small travel kit. I have been working on monthly blocks that set on my desk at work. They are embroidery with some piecing. So I use an plastic sewing thing that my sheets came in – then it can be smashed in my bag down to the size of my project and no wasted space.

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