Machine transport question
 

I started sewing a year ago and have pretty much self taught myself on all the projects I've made. I'm taking my first class at a local quilt shop in a couple of days and was wondering what's the best way of transporting my machine. I will be taking my Juki HZL-F600 for the class and already have a Tutto large tote with the wheels for it. The shop is about a 25 minute drive from where I live. When I purchased the bag, I was able to stand it up with the wheels down in the trunk of my car and can still close the trunk with no issues.

I just loaded my machine with the hardcover on into the tote and it fits with barely any wiggle room. Now, since the tote doesn't have any brakes on the wheels, do I have to worry about the tote moving and tipping over when I take the corners? I don't plan on turning fast on corners, but you never know. lol

Can I lay the tote on its side in the trunk? Would that be bad for the machine to be stored in that position during transport? We don't have the best roads here in town, so the occasional bump is a regular occurence. Or am I better off laying some towels on the back seat and securing the tote upright with the seatbelt instead?

Thanks,
Peggy :)

Make sure your needle is down for one thing.

Does your tote have straps in it? If so use those. I also put old towels in the tote where ever I can squeeze them in. That also will help to stablize the machine.

I don't recommend laying it sideways. IMHO it should be upright.

I try to fit my machine and bag between the front and back seats on the floor. Put needle down and foot down and plenty of padding around machine. If it has to go in the trunk, boot, then at right angles to way you mentioned ie sides of bag pointing to front and back. Then use suitcase to hold tight I have also used bungy ties to hook on handles. You don't need bad roads emergency stop recently put the handle of my bernina under the top cover.

Why dont you leave the hard cover off. The Tutto will protect the machine

I always use a seatbelt to secure the machine. Not only do I want to protect the machine in case of sudden stops or turns, if I was ever in a more serious accident, the moving projectile of a heavy sewing machine could be a killer. People don't always think about the fact that all the stuff in your car becomes mobile in an accident.

I put my machine on the floor of the back seat, and then move my front seat back as far as it will go to secure the machine. I would be leary of having it in the trunk of the car. I haven't tried belting my sewing machine in, and feel like it is very snuggly in place behind the seat. I have to move the seat forward before I can get the machine out it is in there that tight.

Thanks for the suggestions! :)

Needle and foot down? Ok, I'll remember that. The Tutto is 21" in length, since it's the large one. I'll see if I can fit it behind the front seat. If it doesn't or it's too wide for the footwell, I'll strap onto the backseat. I do really like how the Tutto is constructed and it turns so easily. I found a pink one at the LQS, it was expensive, but it's worth it. I wasn't going to get the embroidery module bag, but since they wanted to get rid of it, they gave me a 40% discount on it. I figure I can use it to put my projects in there. If I end up taking classes on a regular basis, I'll be shopping for a 3/4 size machine, as the Juki I'm using this time around is 21 lbs and a little cumbersome to take out and put away.

After my accident I would definitely keep the hard cover on. My machine was in the janome sewing machine trolley with plenty of packing etc. it was the handle metal that hit the handle on the machine and sent it under the top part of machine. It is a bernina 400q. In the back as packing was all the fabric I was making a quilt with plus a quilt on top. .

I drive a small pickup so end up having my machine in the front passenger seat - it is strapped in with the seat belt. I don't use a wheeled tote as it won't fit in my pickup. I don't have a sidewalk and rolling it on the ground is very difficult.