Your charm packs are a great idea. I frequently go sew with friends at other places. It seems easier to me to take a "stage". Either cutting, sewing or binding. I have even taken hexies to work on. (Now that was easy). I have a smaller machine with a sort of to go kit to take that I have in the car but I don't always take it in. It's there just in case I decide to do something different. What I don't want to do is take everything, and set it up for 2-3 hours.