Interesting question?????

[Rose]

So we were all talking at the retreat and comparing things that we carry in out travel bag when we are going to be stitching. I got a few really good ideas of things that are helpful to bring along. The picture below is what is in my travel bag what sort of things do you bring along????? Share with us you may give me an idea of something else that will be helpful to put in the bag.

[fccs]

In my stitching travel bag? Two small projects, each in its own ziploc baggie, (ideally) each with its own scissors and needles, one hoop/Qsnap that can be used for either one, colored pencil/highlighter/pen for chart marking, iPad (also for chart marking), hand wipes, Udderly Smooth hand cream.

[Fizzbw]

I have my magnifier, little LED clip on lights, spare batteries, frame or hoop and project with grime covers, needle minder, scissors and fob, tin with needles (multiple) in it, spare scissors, pencils, highlighters, vet wrap bandage (for my fingers) and I'm sure I've forgotten something!!!

Niki xxx

[richardandtracy]

Never take anything with me. The project is just too precious to take out of the house.
Well, except to go to a knit & natter, when I take everything I have. Threads, needle, head light, frame, chart & scissors. All fits in a carrier bag - Marks & Spencer from Christmas 2010, which is looking a bit weary now, but it does the job.

Regards,

Richard.

[Allyn]

Mine don't leave the house. Working on 30+ inch scroll rods, it's too cumbersome to be mobile and I don't do small projects. (I have nothing against small projects. I just don't usually find any that interest me.) Besides, I work from home, so I'm usually here anyway, but it's really interesting to see what other folks are packing.

[crosstitcher1]

I "used" to take along, but no more. Like Richard, I do big projects. 11" x 14"'s are my "biggest" yet.
Hopefully in May, will be building my outdoor sitting area, decided it would be a 10' x 10' rectangle gazebo with porch railing all around and Roman shades for protection from the "direct" sunlight. Inside, on 1 side, will be a 3' to 4', adjustable and portable, on wheels, afghan stand, thread carousel, the laptop desk, on wheels, that I use as a chart holder, computer chair, 2 small folding tables. The other side will have a folding chair and table set for my neighbor that I am teaching to stitch.
But "when" I needed to take project with me, I used a laptop computer carrying case, which carried, charts on magnet boards, hoop, project rolled up in Charles Craft plastic tube, my "small" zipper, shoulder, thread bag, which carried my thread, scissors, needles, seam ripper, for . Last time I "packed" it, was in 2005 when B/H had his ear surgery.

HAPPY STITCHING IN STITCHING LAND.

[lcamp]

Crosstitcher1-I am envious of your stitching gazebo! Sounds peaceful!

I bring my project in a zip top baggie and my case with my bobbins which holds my scissors, seam ripper for those and my marking pen. I have so few bobbins(just getting back into stitching so I'm still building my supply)that my case isn't full yet. The whole kit n' caboodle goes into a messenger bag that I found at a thrift store for under $5.00.

[Kathy_A]

Only with my current project have I started to bring it with me to work on a daily basis, so I can do some stitching at lunchtime at my desk (excellent light under the flourescent bulbs in the ceiling!).

I picked up a big carrying bag with a zipper at Jo-Ann Fabrics (they were right next to the registers as an obvious impulse marketing ploy, which worked on me), which fits my fabric stretched over the 11x17 inch Q-Snap that I keep in a big pillow case when I'm not working on it. I also put in the three plastic floss bins, the SQ pattern in its spiral-binding, the individual pages that I've blown up to 125% and put into a manila folder, a highlighter to mark off on the copied pages what I've finished, and inside the bins alongside my floss I put my little foldup scissors, extra needles, and a needle threader. On my way home from work, I put my iPhone and tablet inside the project bag instead of my purse so when I get home, I can just move everything over to my workspace without having to dig in the purse for the electronics.

When I go on my trips this summer, I'll be bringing the bag with all of this so I can continue working on the project if I have sufficient light to see by (my eyesight has definitely been impacted by getting older!).

[fccs]

When I go on my trips this summer, I'll be bringing the bag with all of this so I can continue working on the project if I have sufficient light to see by (my eyesight has definitely been impacted by getting older!).

Oh, that's what I forgot to list: my lighted magnifier(s).

Crosstitcher1-I am envious of your stitching gazebo! Sounds peaceful!

Am the only one who wants a stitching party in her gazebo?

[Rose]

Oh well yes I forgot to say I always take at least 3 projects the threads for those in their own case, q-snap for each of those, the patterns, my travel mag. Today I bought a pair of tweezers that have a built in light so that will go in my small accessories bag.

I like the idea of a travel size bottle of lotion. I will have to see if I can find a small bottle of my favorite lotion.

Like Kathy Jo-ann's caught me up at the counter with the bags. At my store they had a special that if you bought $30 of fabric the bag was only $8.99 so I have 3 bags. But they are great bags and hold a ton of supplies.

[MaggieM1750]

Rose.. what are the blue and orange thingys below your scissors?
And is the orange on the right, by your pen/pencil and doo dad fuzzy stick thingy.. is that a highlighter or an exacto knife/ mini box cutter? When do you use that?


My travel kit is minimal.
Along with project/ hoop and pattern:
Needle book that also holds scissors
2 pencils, highlighter, maybe one of those super thin markers
Fabric marker
Thread heaven
Nail file
Tweezers
Seam ripper

Nothing too adventurous or oddball. But then again, I'm not much of a gadget person so I don't have much to throw into my box. I keep it all in a plastic photo box I picked up at JoAnns.

[Rose]

Rose.. what are the blue and orange thingys below your scissors?
And is the orange on the right, by your pen/pencil and doo dad fuzzy stick thingy.. is that a highlighter or an exacto knife/ mini box cutter? When do you use that.

The orange thingy is a scissor sharpener in case my scissors get dropped or other wise not cutting well.

The blue thingy (in real life it is green) is a rubber needle puller. If your needle gets stuck in a stitch or is just being difficult you can use that to get a really good grip in it.

The other orange thingy is a small retractable exacto knife and I use it for opening packages or cutting things that you would not to use your stitching scissors to cut. Cords, battery packages, nut packages that won't open and things such as that.

I never really thought of my self as a gadget person until I started going to these stitching get togethers.

Just in case you were wondering the 2 stainless steel items in the middle of the picture have been life savers. The one is a size 11 crochet hook and it is wonderful for finishing off those threads that you used until the very last stitch and then trying to thread them to run under a few threads to anchor is just impossible. The crochet hook is small enough to get under the back of the stitch with out distorting it and it has that bitty hook to grab the thread and pull it through.

The other one is a retractable magnet. When you drop your needle on the floor and no one can seem to find it you just pull it out to full extension and sweep the area and it will grab that naughty needle.

[Rose]

I have just noticed that 2 items that are normally in that bag are my leather thimble and I also have several band-aid bandages that I take for small mishaps or to cover the ends of my fingers when they get sore from being poked.

The small square item that has Chevron on it is a small tape measure.

The small lime green item is a needle threader.

[Lizzieh]

I'm very disorganized and just grab what I think I need. I go up to Bournemouth every four weeks to spend time with my boys so always take something with me but for some strange reason I ALWAYS forget my scissors. Good job I stay with my mum and she is a stitching addict too so there is always a pair around.
Maybe I should be more organized like you Rose.

[Mabel Figworthy]

it depends where I'm going. If it's my stitching group, then I take whatever I'm working on, my little project box with the threads for it plus some standard threads like black and white DMC, and my project folder - I have a number of 12" square plastic folders and one of their uses is to hold scissors, needles etc.

One of the folders is now my "basic stuff" folder - it holds a pair of stork scissors, a pair of very pointy embroidery scissors, a pair of squissors, a tube of assorted needles, a needle threader, a pencil & rubber, a ruler, some small designs that will get done one day plus some long-term designing stuff I may want to work on whenever inspiration strikes ... I think that's it. It means that I can grab that folder and know I've got all the equipment I need.

For holidays I take pretty much what I'd take to stitching group, only it tends to be 3 or 4 small projects in the folder. If it's a very short holiday or I'm taking hand luggage only or any other reason for travelling light, I carry a "safe cutter" and pick a project with as few threads as possible.