They have great storage and totes at the hardware store. I have two. One for quilting and one for hand stitching of all kinds. They are open which is best for me because I have to see my tools. I spent around $10 for each. They are black and will last forever. Grab and go and I have everything I need.

I got an art tote from an art supply store for big mat and rulers. Has a handle and shoulder strap.

I love your idea. It is lightweight and practical. My notions fit easily into a zippered bag much like yours which I slip into a tote bag with my fabric no pattern. The mat and rulers are the most awkward. I once had a case for my mat with pockets, but it was bulky and inconvenient for my tools. When I go to retreats, I am concerned with the weight of my stuff. I want to stack everything onto my rolling sewing machine case and one shoulder if possible.

I have one similar to the Snap and Store that I got at JoAnns when they were 1/2 price. It's smaller and has 4 tiers and a carrying handle. I like it because it fits on a shelf for storage and doesn't take up much space in my Thirty-one utility tote. My only concern is that over time the tabs will break, but I've had it for four years and so far so good.

When we got our new dishwasher, the company that was delivering our new one and taking away our old one, told us if there was anything inside the old one we wanted to keep, to go ahead and do so. The cutlery rack had a nice handle on it, and I thought I might have a use for it. Sure enough, I can put a ton of sewing stuff in it, and it fits nicely in my rolling sewing machine case, right along with my sewing machine. When I get home I just need to pull it out of the case and set it beside my sewing machine. No matter where I am, everything's right beside me. I've had more people at sewing retreats oohing and aahing over it!

It drove me crazy to find a bag or box to carry everything I needed or thought I would need during a class. I've tried all types of things and ideas, but would finally find them not suitable or would outgrow them. Since I go to a Senior Center every Tuesday, I wanted something that could carry everything all at once. I don't have a picture I can send, but I finally came up with this idea and is has been the best thing possible for me. My biggest criteria was I wanted to be able to see everything without having to unzip a bunch of zippered compartments to see what was in it. A tackle box came close, but really wasn't big enough. Finally I remembered a hint a lady gave me.

I got an office supply 2-drawer caddy. You can get them for about $10 at Walmart, but I actually went to an office supply store for a little sturdier one. At one time Walmart was selling a grocery bag/box for $2.99. It collapsed into a flat thing when not in use. To set it up, you spread it open and a flap goes down and turns it into a square box. I put most everything I needed into those two drawers and then put it into the bag/box to carry it in. It works perfectly. It is not too heavy.

The drawers fit most everything I needed. Any thing bigger than the drawer size, I put in my traveling roller bag with my sewing machine. The supply bag fits over my traveling roller bag and I just roll the whole thing as one unit.

This wasn't my original idea, it came from talking to a lady in line in front of me at Jo-Ann's. She was buying a lot of quilted fabric and when asked what she was planning on making with it she said that she makes it for her drawers that she takes to class. She just puts in 2 zippers, one on each side of the front of the drawers and then just has to unzip the flap in front and her drawers open easily. When finished, she zips it up and puts in on her rolling machine trolley. It was a great idea. It only took me 10 years to get around to doing what she described. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to do it.

[QUOTE=SooBDo;7725642]When I read your post, it reminded me of the year we were all jungled up on our way to retreat one February. It was snowing and slushy, and we HAD to stop at JoAnn's before we got to the town where retreat was. We opened up the back of the SUV (which was packed like a clown car), and out fell my bag with all my notions! After freezing my fingers sifting through slush to retrieve them all, I went inside and found a solution. There was a bag for sale that almost looked like a book that zippered. There were several zippered "pages" inside. It fit all my stuff, and I've carried it ever since. I've not seen it again for sale, but this is a link to a pattern that's close: [url]http://www.byannie.com/shop/product/hold

Oh, gosh, I just imagine your fingers freezing trying to pick up all that stuff. Hopefully, it was in the daytime and at night that this happened.

I, too, purchased two of those cases that you described on sale and I really loved them. I only wish I would have purchased a few more for some of my other projects. I've never seen them again, either. Too bad.

What a great idea! I checked online and found a plethora of cutlery basket models. Some are quite reasonable. I'll have to start looking for them at thrift stores too.

Im sorry this happened to you & can totally relate! But I'm glad you were able to find a better solution

[QUOTE=mac;7725839]Mac, I'd love to see some pictures. Would you mind posting some? Thanks!

I have a bucket liner that has pockets for the outside and inside of a generic bucket. I found a pattern but they sell those liners near the tool boxes at the hardware stores. PM if you want to me to find the pattern/name. I am pretty sure I know where it is, but I am just about to fall asleep...ZZZZZZ (day after Christmas nap!)