You’re faced with a dilemma: you love sewing but you also love vacation, and you’re afraid you can’t take your hobby with you. Or you just want to bring it with you whenever you leave the house, in case of downtime. Btw, if you haven’t read, Sewing Garments With Quilting Cotton, check it out soon.
5 Sewing Tips For Travelers
Sewing is more portable than you might think! With a few simple tips and tricks, you can take sewing with you on the go. Here are 5 tips for the sewing traveler.
Take Caution With Your Scissors
Your scissors are one of your essential sewing notions, traveling or stationary. Most airline agencies – TSA included – have restrictions on scissors you can take on airplanes.
In some cases, you are permitted a very small pair of scissors in your carry-on bag. Always check the rules beforehand, but you may need to precut your fabric. Use a dental floss pack, with its sharp edge, to cut your thread.
Make Your Own Needle Book
Keeping your needles in an accessible, safe place is another sewing travel must. A perfect solution is storing them in a fabric-and-felt needle book. You can stick your needles in it and fold it up like a wallet, fitting perfectly in your bag. And if you’re curious, sewing needles are acceptable in your carry-on, according to the TSA.
Get the Right Sewing Travel Bag
If you want to get some sewing done on your trip, rather than rummaging through your bags for your supplies, you need the right sewing travel bag. How you tote your supplies will depend on the nature of your project, the transportation you’re taking (car, airplane, train, etc.), and personal preferences.
You might want a bag with several pockets, a built-in needle holder, vinyl pockets you can see-through, or even long straps so you can hang it up in the car.
Your ideal travel sewing bag should hold and organize your notions and be small enough to fit easily inside your other luggage.
Make a Foldable Cutting Board
Sewing often requires spreading out – a luxury you don’t have while traveling. With a foldable, portable cutting board, though, you can stash an extra work surface and bring it with you.
You can either purchase one or create one yourself from cardboard. Less suited for use en route, the foldable cutting board can come in handy on the bed at your hotel room or atop some small, foldable tables that can be stowed in the back of the car.
Switch Projects While Traveling
Some projects just might not be doable on the go. Instead of bringing your large quilt along, work on piecing instead. For sewing projects, only bring the parts that require hand stitching.
Just like every other aspect of traveling, bringing your sewing with you will require some foresight. Conclusion Sewing on the go is limiting, but it can be done.
Much of what you can do will depend on the nature of your transportation and accommodation. But don’t let that discourage you! If you really want to work on your projects while traveling, it only takes some planning and organizing.