Never again go to a class or retreat, only to find you don’t have everything you need. We’ll help you pack!

It was one of those inevitable coincidences. . . like needing to hit the restroom just when the movie starts. Every time I took a quilting class or found myself sitting in front of my sewing machine at a guild retreat, I realized that I had forgotten some critical tool that I was really going to need. Most often, I would be rescued by kind, generous fellow quilters (who were not so lamebrained), but I always felt awkward about it.

And so, I resolved “Never again! I will never be forgetful again!” (Cue “Gone with the Wind” music and find me some dirt clods. Oh, wait. . . wrong drama.) I want to spare you the future agony of the unprepared quilter by giving you an exhaustive checklist of everything— every single thing--that you should take with you for classes and retreats.

This is not just a Mark Lipinski list (though that, in itself, would be stellar), but I tapped the trusty Posse for tips about what they bring with them to quilting outings.

For the record, I have all of the tools I need for piecing and quilting in my sewing room, but I have since bought a whole new set of tools and notions that I store in big plastic tool boxes from Lowe’s or giant fishing tackle boxes from Wal-Mart, plus a carrier for my self-healing mat and pressing board for on-the-run quilt making. That way, I just have to pick up my quilting tool kits, pack up my machine, and head off for a day or two of acrylic-ruler paradise.

Here’s what you need for your kit:

Download the PDF

Appeared in:

May/June 2008 Issue