I often carry hand sewing along when I’m traveling or visiting family and have even packed along a sewing machine with the intent to sew for a day or two. But I work in a scrappy, improvisational way and can’t take my whole fabric stash with me and usually end up doing more vacationing and less sewing – not a bad thing.
This summer I needed to get lots of quilt planning and sewing done on our trip while Dan took classes, so we rented a cabin where I could sew all day. I packed a plastic bin and two big bags full of fabric scraps, my sewing machine, iron, and a wobbly but seemingly stable, folding table. The only missing item was a pressing surface that I could pack along, since most of my sewing on this trip would be machine piecing and pressing and attaching and repeating.
I found the perfect item at one of the local discount stores. It was inexpensive, it folded and fit in the attached fabric envelope, and it worked great. It’s so clever (and had no branding or copyright) that I’m showing it here as a guide to inspire you to make your own customized version as I plan to do. I may make mine with a flashy batik envelop!
It consists of a layer of heat resistant fabric and batting with a top and bottom layer of muslin and a piece of what appears to be open weave shelf liner on the very bottom to protect the ironing surface and to keep it from shifting. The outside edges of the pad are bound with bias binding.
The cabin ended up having a high, built-in bar that was perfect for sewing short seams and pressing, there was a terrific quilt shop in town, and I discovered non-aerosol spray starch at the local grocery which all contributed to happy piecing and pressing.
I’d love to hear your tips for great sewing vacations.
That’s awesome! I’m going to have to get/make one of those. Genius.
Do you mind saying what store, I woul like to purchase one?
I rented a cabin.. The living room was my sewing centre (I could have a movie playing in the background while I sewed.) A small table-top ironing board fit perfectly on the coffee table – good height while sitting down, but hard on the back if standing. The dining table held my cutting mat & sewing machine. The second bedroom provided space to lay out my quilt as I added rows to it. And the dresser drawers – all pulled out at different layers – provided space to drape all my fabric pieces. That way they were all in sight as I decided which colour was to be used next. It worked perfectly!! As I re-read this it makes me want to go back again!
I just got back from a vacation “up north” in Michigan. I knew I wouldn’t be sewing a lot, but I did take a small wall hanging (bright autumn leaves!) to quilt in the evenings. Because I frequently find that motel rooms have dismally dim light, I packed a small high intensity lamp to quilt by. Happily, I didn’t need it. The lamp on the side table had a bright, energy efficient bulb. What a wonderful surprise in a mom and pop motel. It turned out that the owner is a crafter (there were crocheted bookmarks for the taking in the desk drawer), so maybe that was the reason for the bright light. (Also, there was a quilt store one block away in the tiny town. Bonus!)
Every year when my husband goes for the first fly fishing trip of the year we head to The Smokies in western North Carolina. He goes fishing and I sit in an extra large hotel room and do my own version of a quilt retreat. I take along my own light and make sure that there is a desk with an adjustable height chair! Often hotel irons are not very good so I take my own with me!
Helpful post! Can you tell me the brand/name of the non-aerosol spray starch?
Thank you!
What a neat idea. Is it about the same size as a baby’s travel changing mat?
This mat roughly measures 14 inches wide by 24 inches long. Have fun with it!
Niagra I’m so happy not dealing with clogging nozzles!
Kath, where did you get the mat and what was it called/brand name? Thanks, Mary
We went to Dauphin Island Alabama and I took 3 large plastic tubs and a portable sewing table Jan/Feb 2012. This winter we’re going to Gulfport MS. I will have 3 plastic tubs, a portable sewing table and an 18×24 folding pressing table made by the husband of a friend. All I’m leaving behind is my stash, hundreds of quilting magazines and my design wall!!!! I finished lots of tops this year.
What was the original use for this mat? Was it for ironing? It looks like one of those dish drying mats. Sounds like it was a good solution for your pressing though. Thanks for the information.
I work in my living room mostly. I can sit in my comfy recliner sofa, I have a small folding table that has adjustable height so I set it to be perfect for here. I didn’t want to bother with an Ironing board, but I needed a pad for ironing between bouts of hand-sewing. I found a ironing board pad with quilting grids on it – circular and square… and I’ve cut it down to fit on my table. It covers one side of the table [about 30x30 in] and I used a little elastic to hold it in place. It leaves me plenty of room for ironing, and the other half of the table for cutting. Since I’m in the living room, I can watch television – or quilting dvds while I work. Luckily my recliner sofa even has an inset for two cups and a larger tray where I can store my gear. I use one cupholder for water to drink and the other is perfect for a small spray bottle of starch.