Quilting on a camping trip?
 

Hello Everyone, I just wondered if Anyone has ever machine quilted on a camping trip. We have a pop up and I have the room, but how do you pack? What did you pack? And was it worth the effort? Or should I just save this for at when I have "time" at home? I just wanted to combine my two hobbies together. :o Thanks.

I never have but you could always take hand work the first time around to see if thats what you want to do. Depends on the campground you are in etc. Whatever you do good luck

I bought a small machine just for our trailer, use it all the time. Best to make just the squares. I tried putting a quilt together and it was way too much work. Best saved for home with more room.

I have carried a machine for 10 years now. I just upgraded to a Brother Inovis 1250 with a 5x7 embroidery arm. I piece quilt tops and then quilt them during the winter. I have my machine in a rolling sewing machine tote. The embroidery arm is in another tote which holds the arm and hoops. I bought a quilters tote years ago from Joann's, it holds rotory cutters, rulers, a folding mat (I acurually have two), a small travel iron (I use only in emergency since I have a standard iron tucked away), and all the extra notions needed to have a complete sewing room. I packed that tote full! I have a Rubbermaid tote with threads, both sewing and embroidery. If I am going to embroider, I make sure I pack only the threads and stabilizers needed (otherwise I pack so much I may need an extra trailer). I planned out the locations for storage for both convince and safety, as I do not want to remove everything to get to the machine nor do I want it bouncing or rolling around. I made an ironing mat as shown by Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt. I store that beside the bed. My husband is a semi-professional racer, so we travel several weekends a month. This machine has been a life saver in many ways. Not only do I have something to do when we have rain days, but I also use the machine to repair racing uniforms and parachutes. I was actually picked up by a racer, driven by golf cart to his pit area and repaired his parachute while it was attached to the car. The press was there covering a story about him and they were fascinated by what I was doing!
We do travel in a 43 foot motor home, but space is still at a premium.
Good luck with your projects and have fun! Traveling and sewing is such a great combination! You will find sewing friends everywhere!

Welcome to the forum! If you do a search here on the forum you can find a few other threads where we've all shared our tips too. I always take hand work & that keeps me busy in the early morning before DH gets up; but when I know we will be traveling to spots that have electricity I take my little Featherweight & have baggies of blocks precut usually. I have a little travel iron and a June Tailor Press & Cut; it works for me and we just have a Roadtrek. I usually stitch at the picnic table but if it rains I can set up our table & stitch happily away. Hope you enjoy many hours of stitching on the road!

On our last vacation (RV), I knew I'd be busy with my honey most of the time, but for some of my down time, I packed a cutting board, ruler, rotary cutter, and set of fabrics that needed to be cut. While he was out one day, I got a large part of the cutting done for the quilt I am working on now. I figure getting any little bit done helps me be more efficient. My only portable sewing machine is not very good, though I could use it for basic straight-ine piecing if needed.

Not while camping, but it would be like going on retreat, but probably with less stuff. I've gone on retreats, and gone to places that have a sewing machine available, and sometimes I work on stuff in the car while we're traveling. I keep a sewing machine in a rolling tote with the basics - cutting board, cutter, scissors, neutral thread. Then you just need the project on which to work - pieces cut to be sewn together, pieces to cut, .... I keep my projects individually in a large zip-loc project bag. Then just throw in the other essentials that you need, like the iron and an ironing pad. There are certainly packing lists for retreats that are posted here. They would include some of the stuff that you would need anyway for camping, and you should already have a packing list for camping.

I don't bring sewing on a trip less than a week, but i do bring things on 2 week trips. I have pieced two (very simple) quilt tops while camping. I bought a little Featherweight machine since it was so easy to carry. I have a bag originally designed for tools that I use for the machine, rotary cutter, thread, needles, etc. I put a cutting mat under the bed mattress for travel. I pre-cut what I need mostly though. The projects go into a plastic bag. Not hard to carry and store the tool bag and the fabric bag in the camper. I already keep a small iron and folding ironing board in the camper. I just set up on the little table inside when it is rainy or extra cold, particularly at night.

I also have a handcrank Singer 99 that I will be taking on trips without electricity since we live near a great desert area. So far no full quilts, but I have used it for a number of blocks. I find the biggest issue is just swapping between machines and getting consistent seam widths, so I try to finish a quilt on one machine.

Pam

We rent a big beach house twice a year at the Oregon Coast and last time I brought my sewing machine and a quilt I had just started. My kids were there to meet us. I didn't use the machine once. I spent all my time with my kids or cooking or exploring or at the casino and visiting - visiting - visiting. I'll never take my machine along on a vacation again.

I take a program I am working on or one I want to start. I am leaving Monday for a long camping trip and I am packing all my Christmas fabric to cut up into squares. When I say all my Christmas fabrics, I mean the red and green, not blue. After I get them cut up and ironed, I will piece. I don't quilt them in a small trailer, too difficult to even sandwich them. I have smaller, cheaper machines I sew with in the trailer.

I always take sewing stuff. Precutting your pieces saves time & space. I only sew blocks together, so just need, thread, tweezers, (for threading sewing machine) scissors, pins, ripper (haha), small cutting board & square for squaring up HST's, travel iron & ironing pad. Those cutting board, ironing pad combinations are nice. I have a "little" Brother I bought at WalMart that I use for travel. My "big" embroidery Brother gets to stay home unless I am going for several weeks. I can fit all this in a medium plastic storage container.

I take my small Janome with feet and pre-cut projects almost everywhere I go if the stay is a week or longer. These are the tools I take: thread, scissors, snips, rotary cutter (for squaring blocks) small cutting mat, small iron and ironing surface, extra sewing machine needles, pins, elmers washable school glue and glue sticks, seam ripper, wrist pin cushion, and rulers to match the project and measuring tape. I put the precut fabric in plastic bags and the small tools in a small plastic container. Believe it or not, I can get most of this in the wheeled machine tote that has several pockets and the flat things (fabric, cutting board, rulers, ironing board) in the bottom of my suitcases. My daughters-in-law usually have sewing projects for me when I visit because they all know I "have sewing machine, will travel" :)

where there is a will there is a way, read about a gal who has log home in MT, in winter they go RVing to a dry camp way out in the desert, she takes her LONG ARM in a cargo trailer they tow behind there RV, she sets things up and does her long arming in the cargo trailer. I figure if she can do that then any of us can figure a way to take a FW or small machine, hand crank would be good for no elec camps. a folding table you could slip under the bed?
It is really hard for me to help you as I have to be in my nest to even teach, I always for get some thing if I teach away from home. Me I would probably set up a special set of things just for the camper, knowing me. Sewing machine, rottery cutter matt ruler, threads, needles iron ripper light nips, any thing I would need. But I am one of those who does not do any thing half way, I'm sorta all or nothing, have tried but I always go overboard, so not much help here, so sorry :-)

I never leave the house without a sewing project. Couple hour trip, overnight or weeks vacation!! I have sewn in campgrounds and hotel rooms. I have a "go" bag, with hand sewing projects for the car. I even will take hand sewing into a meeting if it is a "sit and lsiten" type meeting. My hands HAVE to be busy! We go up north for weekend getaways and I take sewing with me. I will stay at the cabin and sew for a day while the others go sight seeing! That is my idea of a vacation!! DH is used to it. LOL

We have a seasonal business so we head to FL most winters in our motorhome and I take my sewing machine with me. I work on quilt tops. Also got tired of the curtains in the motorhome so I took them down one winter and made curtains while on the trip. Its something to do on those rainy days. It takes over the dining table but neither of us seem to mind since we eat outside most of the time anyway.

Yes! I quilted on a camping trip! I knew my Husband had to work one day of our trip so while the kids played on the playground I plugged in my featherweight and got to work on a picnic table!! I brought a table cover so my fabric wouldn't get dirty and the essentials - machine, nippers, thread, needles, pins. I didn't press while I was there I brought one of those little wooden pressing sticks, then just pressed my blocks when I came home. I say - take it with you!! ;)

I take my hand crank for when we don't have electric, and the featherweight for when we have a connection. I was able to make several squares between hiking and etc.

I take my FW,cutting/ironing mat,a project precut and ready,a travel iron,pins,thread,scissors,and "jack the Ripper", and an extension cord. I sewed on the picnic table every day for a week when I was at Sisters quilt show week. I'm camping now...no electricity,I have my GMFG to work on. Beats the hck out of biting off the fingernails of boredom! LOL!

I took quilting stuff with me one year. We use a tent trailer and I set up a folding table outside under the awning. I brought a small travel machine and a travel iron. The only thing I regret bringing was a cutting board... It was a warped mess in the heat. I would precut everything before. Enjoy your camping, I'm sad that I'm not able to go this summer.

WE have a small popup and I take my FW and cutting supplies (whatever you need). It seems to rain alot (florida) when we go camping. I take everything in a plastic tote box, so when not in use can put it away. I would just put it on one of the beds when we ate. If weather was nice and hubby was out with dog, I would set up outside. Goodluck and have fun.

I purchased a "travel sewing machine" when we started camping. I always took it along. I would sew in the camper or outside. It was awesome! I have 7 kids so someone always wanted to stay back at the camper-I had something to do then! It was worth the extra effort to me! :)

I think it all matters how busy you're going to be and how much area you will have to work. I usually only take handwork such as applique or embroidery or small projects that may need binding that can be done by hand. if you're a hand quilter then that would also depend. I have often done a lot of yo yos from scraps and such. Every situation is different. Depends on the mode and the conveniences that are accessible.

I have a sewing machine just for the RV, most of the time I per make kits for projects have them already to sew. But most of our outings have been months long. This year we are staying home, nice for a change. Have started my Christmas sew projects. take only what you have room to store with out a problem.

I always take a machine with me when we RV...we now have a motorhome, but even when we had a travel trailer, I took one of my machines. Usually I take my small one, but our last two trips out, I took my big machine because I don't like switching machines in the middle of a project. They never stitch quite the same from machine to machine and I also had some embroidery work to do as well.

Not going to be camping, but am leaving in 2 weeks for an 8 day train trip with my daughter and plan to take along 2 "honeycombs" for handwork while "hitting the rails"!

I have taken sewing with me while camping. I have taken both handwork and a sewing machine. One problem is that camping itself is time intensive, with the cooking and setting up campsite and such. Another problem is dirt and bugs. And you are almost guaranteed that everything will smell like woodsmoke when you get it home.

If you are planning on taking sewing with you, I would recommend (1) take one just project, to cut down on the mass of what you are transporting. (2) I took a large plastic bin and packed EVERYTHING in it, projects, scissors, thread, replacement needles, etc. If it didn't fit in the bin, it didn't go. (3) if you need an ironing board, invest in a small table-top one and a miniature iron.

What has worked best for me was an English paper piecing project. Everything fit in a shoebox, there was no set up of a sewing space, and I could stop and restart easily.

I hope your experiment goes well!

I usually take some kind of stitching when on a trip with DH. He likes to read in the evening. So I stitch, otherwise it's TV or games. One time I took the trailer to the coast, alone. I made a christmas pieced/quilted jacket while watching the ocean. It was too cold & windy to be out, but I was happy in my pull trailer.

I think it all depends on what kind of down time you have and what you like to do.

I talked to a guy while I was on vacation that said his mom and dad camp in the summer and then sail in the Carribean in the winter. She quilts on the SAILBOAT!! I have to wonder how big that boat must be - wouldn't it be hard to sew on a rocking boat???

Sorry, no answer to your question but just had to share! Have fun!

Thank you Everyone for your fabulous ideas and support! I am happy to say that I have been doing both English paper piecing and just purchase a little Janome just for the RV! I never would have thought it was that easy! Love the suggestions of having everything precut and organized ahead of time! Thank you again everyone :)
-Connie

We're gone for 4 months in the winter. I have always sewn so I start getting things ready in October to go into the trailer. I have plastic boxes for everything and they stack. I have a 3 drawer cabinet with thread and other notions in it. My long rulers and cutting mats are stored under the mattress. When we get to the park I then hang things in my corner where I sew. If I have anything large to work on I can go to the lqs. and use the larger tables there. Enjoy your camping and quilting I do.

I always have hand applique projects to take while traveling and when we are camping. Applique is so relaxing and I get lots done when we are out and about. It takes up less room and more peaceful to me than using a sewing machine when camping.

I would NEVER consider it. There are too many fun things to do when you go camping. Places to hike, beautiful scenery to see. Not to say that I have stopped at quilt stores to see what the LQS has. Unless you are camping in your backyard, then I would probably run an extension cord and be sewing away under the stars !!! HAVE FUN. Life is short enough as it is !! Have FUN and ENJOY!!!

DH and I go semi camping in a rented cabin or lodge. We hike and sightsee during the day and in the evenings I sew. I take a Singer Featherweight and a pre cuts.

I ALWAYS have some kind of sewing/quilting project when we go camping, even just for a weekend trip! Usually I will take some kind of hand sewing, appliqué or hexies. But sometimes I will have a project that requires a sewing machine and I will bring along a small sewing machine. I just found a more modern version of a featherweight at Goodwill for $7.50. It is a cute little thing and I plan on just leaving that in the fifth wheel all the time during camping season. Having a quilting project is great for rainy days, or outside sitting around the campsite. We don't do campfires due to my asthma, so I don't have to worry about smokey smelling projects. I love combining camping and quilting! I will be watching for you camping and quilting around Ohio!

I used to. I took hand quilting projects or a small electric sewing machine and precut pieces of fabric. My problem was the other 9 campers that needed me all the time. :D Take something that doesn't take too much thinking. A small iron, rotary cutter, extra needle, pins, rulers, cutting board and ironing board are nice too. Just don't be like me and forget your piecing foot or like an other person the pedal to your sewing machine. I put the whole project in a shoe box sized plastic box.

I hope to take some quilting or hand sewing when we go camping next summer. I wanted to this summer but just couldn't find the time. I am the main chef, maid, nurse, etc. for our family. I think I am going to spend some time this winter getting some sewing things set up for our travel trailer and pop-up. I would love to be able to sew while the grandkids are playing or DH is off fishing or hiking.

Boy, I'm excited to read this thread. We are camping right now, on our way to Florida. Yep, we're snow birds. I chose not to bring my small machine with me, couldn't think where I would be able to store it out of the way, and couldn't see myself sewing on the little table. Last year it was too cold to sew outside the whole time we were down there. I did bring some hand work to finish off Christmas gifts. Next time I will pack my little machine! Thanks for all the info.