hsquiltingmom

Hi to all you R-ver's out there. My husband and I have talked about doing a lot of traveling when we retire. Provided we get to retire. With things going the way they are, we may work until we die. Anyway, I wondered how you organize your things you take with you. I do a lot of hand piecing, I started doing it, because it would take longer to make quilts, which helps because right now, I am trying to not spend extra money on fabric. I just wondered how you organize it, and do you save the quilting till you get home, do you do it by hand, or on the machine. For me, I enjoy handwork, so learning to handpiece has been wonderful, and I have always loved to hand quilt. Just wondering, as I am not a super organized person, but am trying to work on it and learn ways to organize things.

Thanks

lfw045

Zip lock storage bags in several different sizes is what I use and you can even get them large enough to keep your tops in as they get larger! You might want to check out Jinny Beyer's website if you haven't already. She is a hand piecer.

Drue

I agree with lfw045, lots of zip locks...I take my small Janome and my small cutting mat and the notions needed to get one going. Usually have the pieces cut and bagged and numbered/named and ready to go. I have a FW, but I need to have it serviced before I use it...it was the one I learned to sew on and haven't had it out of the case since '07, when my mom passed away! I know, shame on me! I do a lot of applique' work as well, all by machine, so I need a machine that will do a satin stitch, blanket stitch or zigzag. Guess it really depends on how long we intend to be gone. At this point, with the fuel prices going higher daily, I may never be going RVing in the motorhome again....at 11 mpg...it's bad enough with our jeep and truck to keep them running and living in a very rural area.

Cagey

Perfect timing on this question. Just got bacl from looking at Rvs. With everyone that my husband likes, my constant questions is: Where do I put my sewing machine? We both need to get what we want. Thanks for the question.

omaluvs2quilt

We have an RV with the buffet & pull out dinette. Perfect storage for a small machine in the cabinet under the table. and the table top is perfect for my cutting mat. Even used it for making all the rubber shelf liners for the coach!

RV Quilter

We retired to our RV fulltime. It is a 38' motorhome. Cutting mat and ruler go under mattress. Sewing machine sits behind the drivers seat when we are stationary, traveling goes on the bed. I do my cutting on our dining table which is about 36 by 40. I keep my scissors, ripper, pins in a plastic bin under my chair. I also sew at the table and sometimes iron. When I can, I sew at the table, set my small ironing board up on stove counter. I have fabric under the bed, in two cupboards along with batting, etc. When I have a couple projects going each goings into a bigger plastic basket when I am not working on them. Yes, it's not handy to have to move things to eat at the table, but it's what I have to work with and I make it work. Yes, I LOVE living in the motorhome, I LOVE quilting and meeting so many nice people everywhere we go. Besides I get to find new quilting stores to visit when we are traveling.

samifel

Last summer we traveled cross country on our motorcycle and we towed a small pop-up camper. Before we went I spent a great deal of time trying to figure out how I could take my quilt things, afterall 7 weeks is a long time to go without quilting. As you can imagine, space was limited. My solution was actually quite simple....... I took needle thread, small scissors, safety pins and a thimble. I had made a quilt and tied it before we left and I quilted it along the way. I'd pin a small section and work on it until either it got dark or we got tired and then I'd put it on the bed. I will say I didn't finish it and I didn't quilt as much as I do at home, but it kept me happy and I didn't take up any extra space.

Divokittysmom

Rv Quilter has everything down to a science. We travel in a 35' triple slide 5th wheel. I too use the table to do any cutting I might need to do, sew there too. I also use lots of ziplocs for projects. I purchased a nice sewing zippered tote bags filled with zippered pockets to carry all my presser feet, thimble,needles, scissors .... etc.etc. I have 2 tote bags I fill with projects that I store in the space where the tv should be in the bedroom. I made a curtain to cover the space that has a rod pocket on top & bottom, I use a tension rod to hold it in place. Nearly everything can be stored there. My cutting mat, plexi glass table go under the bed, my sewing machine travels on the floor next to the bed. I keep it stored behind the recliner when not in use. I love sewing in my RV! You get some pretty interesting looks as people pass by and see me happily sewing away! HTH! Welcome to sewing on the road, wish you safe travels and lots of sewing time!

sewellie

Believe it or not, I bought a little sewing machine called the Lil Stitch from Walmart on a whim to see if it would work to take camping. We what do you know, the little thing works. Weighs absolutely nothing and is little and cute. But it works great! You can either plug it in or it runs on two AA battries. What a find for $20. I figure I can sew scraps together to make string quilts.