Taking your Treasures
 

Every month my guild offers a class on a specific technique/pattern or a chance to bring your own project to work on. I had a sewing basket I got at JAF but the latch broke off 2 months ago (spilling EVERYTHING). I drive 30 minutes to get there so doing a quick turnaround for a forgotten notion is not really feasible. I've been eyeing this aluminum case with foldout shelves but I'm REALLY wondering what YOU use when you go to a class or daylong retreat? If you didn't use what you currently have, what treasure box is it that you long for? Pictures would be awesome & greatly appreciated! Thank you
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Creative-O...-Case/32173331

Think about a fishing tackle box,with the containers that are for fishing lures. You might look at Harbor Freight for tool boxes. The stuff sold ar quilting/fabric stores is usually much more expensive.

Yes, the cost is always a factor. My question would be then, what have you found that is both quality & effective for portable storage?

Perhaps make a amy butler sweet traveler. I like the whole idea of the zippered pockets and the way it can be hung over the back of your seat at a retreat.

https://www.google.com/search?q=amy+...UIBigB#imgrc=_

Thank you, do you use one like this?

When I haul my stuff to teach a class, it's very helpful to have a shoulder strap. I can carry more things with my shoulder, than with my hands. I even made a portable ironing board with a shoulder strap.

A co-worker gave each of us a plastic tote with a handle on top. Inside, it has a sectioned tray in the top and lots of room in the bottom. Even though it doesn't have a shoulder strap, I really love it!

I have a case very similar to the one you linked to. I got mine at a thrift store. Depends what all you want to carry. It's small (look at the dimensions) scissors, measuring tape, rotary cutter. Would not carry even a small ruler or mini cutting mat. There are no 'tall' compartments in this case, so nothing taller than 2" will fit, not even a pincushion. It's sturdy, but heavy. This style is called a train case. If you look on amazon, they have lots of options, larger sizes etc. I don't carry it anywhere just use it to keep some of my small notions together at the cottage.
When I was going back and for various classes, I used the 6X9 snapware cases:
https://www.amazon.com/Snapware-6-In...SYG8PWJ8YGYHNK
The link has the one with a divided section. Joanns carries compatible ones without the dividers, also deeper versions pretty inexpensively. I got a couple sets. I put rotary cutter, extra blades, scissors in one, measuring tools in another, thread in another etc. The nice thing is depending on the project, I could just grab the containers that I would need for that project. I didn't rely on the handle, just snapped them together & put it in an open tote. Worked well for me.
If you could provide a list of what you want to bring, we could provide better direction.
I second the idea of going to a hardware store or harbor freight.

I use a vintage Caboodle from my DD's teen years. Anyone remember those? Every teengirl had one. The original ones are much better then the plastic ones sold now. Also I have a vintage train small overnight case that I take when I need a lot. It holds my travel iron and other larger items.

My DD was selling "Thirty One" bags and i bought some and then when she stopped selling she gave me several. One is big enough to carry my sewing machine and have a crafts bag to carry my rotary cutter, cutting mat, rulers and my small notions are in a plastic pencil box and that box fits in the side pockets of the Thirty One bag.

No sadly I almost never go to sewing related events anymore. I have made sets for people that I know do though. It is very fun to do and such a nice gift for a quilter. There are at least three gals on the board I have gifted different sets to.