Welcome from Georgia, I travel with work as well and like to carry something with me. I also am a new granny, my little guy is 10 months old. I made him a qult that was half aplique and half pieces. I will try to find a photo of the quilt and post.
As to supplies, a mat to cut on, a rotery cutter, a good pair of cutting scissors, small embroidery scissors (fiskar has a curved point pair that I travel with), thread, seam ripper, and pins