my janome 6600 traveled for 3 months one winter with us. and i didn't get to use it as much as i anticipated. but am going to re-read this for ideas. i sewed on the table, a couple times, and it was a lot of moving, but that is my relaxing time. hand work seemed to work fine.

I work as a travel nurse and my husband and I take our 28 ft. travel trailer with two slides from site to site, usually every 3-4 months. My husband is OCD with an aversion to "clutter and messes" and with limited inside surface space, it is sometimes hard to work on the "big" part of quilting projects. I usually wait until he is gone if I wish to work inside, or I will go outside and use the picnic table covered with one of those cardboard cutting boards. The outdoor electrical outlets allow me to plug in my iron, a TV or radio, and my machine, and I have no need for additional lighting due to the beautiful Florida sun. We also have an outdoor glass top table with 4 chairs (I pull 3 of these away from the table for my visitors) where I set my machine. A fluffy towel can serve as a cushion for ironing on either my glass top table or the picnic table.

I have had quite a crowd of "neighbors"! One woman from Ohio commented on me using an iron; she seems to find an iron an odd object used by past generations. An elderly man likes to visit and brings his cat in a stroller. Regardless, they all are curious and like to stop and chat and examine my latest project. What a great way to meet new friends!

As to storage, I find there is more than adequate storage under our bed for my sewing supplies, fabrics, books, etc. under our bed, and I store my mat flat between the mattress and the top of the storage area the mattress sits on. I prepared several projects before leaving home, and put materials, pattern, thread, etc. for each one in a 2.5gallon zip bag. My "tools" are contained in a tub that easily fits in this space under the bed.

If you wish to make it work, you will find a way to take with you what you actually need without excess. Measuring your spaces and thinking through your sewing arrangement will make it much easier for you. I actually became interested in making quilts on one of my 3 month (it actually became 9 months) work contracts and became fast friends with the lady who was my mentor. In the daytime we worked together, and in the evenings, we would trade her place and mine to work on our mutual projects.

Have a great time!

I have been bringing my computerized embroidery machine and a fetherweight with me for years in our rv. We spend 6 months in Maine in the summer and I sew for several businesses there "for lobster". I also make a few quilts. Fabric is readily available up there but other sewing supplies are more challanging and I do a lot of computer ordering. Storage is a challange, but my husband will tell you i have supplies all over and use too much space. I found a folding plastic table at BJ's warehouse for the machine and a multi drawer plastic stand about the same height for the embroidery unie ( Viking Diamond) I also have plastic tubs that slide under the RV when we are parked . The picnic table is sturdy enough for the cutting boards outside and if the weather is nice the fw and I sew out side. Campground rec centers are also a very useable space if you are there for a while.
Sheila

I have a friend who run a complete doll business out of their motor home. She makes custom clothes for the dolls, and when time permits works on new collections. Basically every nook and cranny is storage for her business. She has become extremely successful, and is one busy gal. Hubby is super supportive , so that makes things better. If you are so inclined check out her web site at Jo 's Doll Shoppe.com. You will be amazed at how tiny her dresses are, and the workmanship is beyond belief.

Store my rulers, regular cutting mat and rotating cutting matt, under the mattress, purchased SEWEZE sewing table for RV, and take along small flat tote with threads, pincushion, best press, portable ironing board etc, all stored under the bed, my bernina 550 I keep in the closet when not in use. Lots of storage in our unit, therefore can put new shopping purchases along the way into lots of nooks and crannies. Keep a clothing bag for anything that I'm working on and hang it in the closet, have a couple of stack and vac compression bags a Xlarge one for uncut fabric and a large one, that I have cut out fabric in (Whatever I'm working on) and keep it under the bed as well.

Wow! These descriptions of quilting in a RV makes me want to get one and start quilting on the road! LOL

I am sooooooo jelous. This is my dream for retirement days but now that I am single I dont want the work of setting up at the camp spot. I need a man. Any one know of any??? lol

D.rickman, I think I need that sewezi table! I have room in the slide out to leave a table set up and keep the dining room table mostly clear most of the time.
Jude1040, your friends doll clothes are exquisite! Such skill!
I'm getting less fearful of this adventure. Bring on more stories of the road! I want some horror stories too! I'd like to learn the "what not to do's" as well!

We have a 40 ft motorhome, with no slide outs. Right now, my generator isn't working, so I don't take my sewing machine with me. Once I get a new generator (bottom of the list, right now though as other things are taking priority) I may take my sewing machine. We usually go out in the boonies to go camping, (my hubby is not a crowd lover), and so I would have to take my own tables and stuff, but I think we would have room. Right now, I take things I am piecing by hand, crocheting, and embroidery that I can work on at any time. The first time my mother in law went with us, she was surprised at what I had to work on, but she also knows that I like to stay busy. If I am hand quilting a quilt, and I put it in a hoop, I will usually take that with us as well.

Forget the man... get a van.... ;) No seriously our little 20 foot is so easy, you just drive in & find a fairly level spot, switch over to gas or plug in to electric & connect the hoses and you're set. Of course we don't have pull outs & all the things that give you extra room but it works great for us. We've always tent camped prior to last year, so we're in the lap of luxury now with this. There are lots of used ones available. Ours is a 2003 Roadtrek. [ATTACH=CONFIG]399731[/ATTACH]
It's got a bathroom & shower/queen size bed/microwave/stovetop/TV - which we don't use/ lots of underneath storage