16 July, 2014

Projects To Go...

"Got Cookies?"  92" X 75" and the "kit".
I posted a while ago about having projects to work on while traveling and doing handwork in the car: Making The Miles Count. I received an e-mail requesting some direction on the subject as far as readying a project to this stage for finishing on-the-go.
Diana wrote: "You have mentioned more than once that you do handwork in your car...I would love for you to tell me how.  I mean how do you organize the things we need?  Maybe even do it on your blog...hopefully I am not the only one who is confused."
The hand basting step, not one to be overlooked!

For me, I plan ahead by putting together a small, project specific, sewing "kit" that carries the essentials for finishing handwork on the go. The contents of the kit will vary depending on what I'm working on; maybe it's hand  appliqué or perhaps it's hand piecing. For today's example I have a quilt top all bound with binding that's been hand-basted into position; that extra step enables me to whip down the binding while elimainating pins!
I use the same procedure for finishing whether I'm in the car or sitting in a chair on the patio. I know I'll need matching thread, needles, a small pair of scissors for snipping thread ends and a double sided tape roll too. I use a small section of tape inside the cover of my kit box to hold those thread ends until I can pull it loose and dispose of it in a trash can; that keeps the work area, wherever it may be, neat and tidy. It's pretty basic, it just requires a little pre-planning and preparation work ahead of time to make any project travel-ready!
Once done, you're on your way... project and all!
Life is Good!



  

3 comments:

Paula, the quilter said...

I am such an organizational freak that I love posts like this! Thanks for the peek into how you do this.

Janet O. said...

I always have a hand work project for road trips, too, but the double sided tape is a new idea to me. I really like that!
I will add that, for me, if I am working on small projects, I like to take a stainless steel or plastic 9x13 container from my kitchen and set in in my lap. That way, everything I am working with can be spread out a little more than it is in my carry case and I can see what I need. Also, a dropped needle or small hexie paper, or whatever else I might be working with, falls to the container in my lap and not onto the floor somewhere. And when I need to get out of the car for brief breaks, I can just set aside the larger container and not have to gather all of the parts off of my lap and put them all away. But when I am finished, everything goes back into the smaller carrying case and the 9x13 tray goes under or behind the seat.

julieQ said...

I do love your hand project...just the thing for scraps!! I find that I get a lot done in those moments in the car...