This is Susan’s HAND project ---It’s all little 1.5” individual squares, and she is hand piecing a gorgeous BIG quilt…in little found moments of time.
Nearly ANYTHING can be a hand project…and you don’t have to carry around a huge amount of stuff. It’s amazing what will fit into a small tote or cute travel bag.
Susan has even cut a piece of a flannel backed table cloth – in just the right size, for not only her design wall, but it folds up with her pieces and keeps everything secure while she is stitching on road trips, her husband doing the driving beside her.
Four blocks sewn together.
Hand piecing makes it easy to manipulate the seams to get them to go the direction you want, and usually a good finger press is all you need!
Block from the front! FUN variety of scraps!
Quilt top in progress, all by hand!
Susan says she really enjoys her hand work time – it’s relaxing and stress free!
And she also shared with me how she keeps all her goodies together in the car while they travel:
Caddy To Go!
This is one of those shower/bath baskets with the suction cups…she has placed inside her thread, a pin cushion, pins, needles – and has her scissors on a retractable keeper so she never loses them down between the car seats! Simply suction it to the passenger window and you are good to go!
Here I have it suctioned to the door of the microwave..the closest thing we could find to a window for a photo opportunity!
I really like this idea – usually my “STUFF” ends up taking all the space in the car cup holders, and then there is no place for the beverages 
Thanks for sharing the inspiration, Susan! I’m having a great time getting to know the quilting gals in Abilene!
29 comments:
Oh boy - am I ever stealing that suction cup idea! and the scissors on the retractor? - Perfect :)
Ditto! Great idea!
Im thinking that should be on the window of the RV as we go down the road. and yes the scissors on a string too !!!
And if you feed the thread out through one of the grid holes on the side, you never even have to mess with taking the thread out of the basket, and dropping it...
Great idea for travelling! I am definitely adding one of those to my next shopping list and I really like Sandie's idea about feeding the thread through one of the holes.
Thank you for sharing. We are lucky that you are out there learning new things while you teach and share with the rest of us.
What a great idea with that suction basket!!!
SO using this idea!
It's a great idea, but I am crushed to discover Susan doesn't really have a Whirlpool car...
Hahahahahaha :D
Me three! We're supposed to take a trip later in the fall, so I'm going to need something like this! Thanks Susan & Bonnie!
luv the quilt, and the idea! living my life vicariously through you, Bonnie!
I skimmed . . . did it really take person number 9 in the list of commenters to mention the whirlpool car? And thanks Bonnie for explaining that. You know us. ONE of us was going to bring it up! LOL
Every night before I turn in for the night I must check my in box for your latest post especially when you are on the road teacbing. You always have such inspirational pictures and find so many new ideas to share with us. I really loved to nights idea, but there is one problem I have with it, when I go on road trips it is always with my friends and I most always do the driving. Thank you so much for all your inspiration and generous time of posting every evening. It is very much appreciated.
Every night before I turn in for the night I must check my in box for your latest post especially when you are on the road teacbing. You always have such inspirational pictures and find so many new ideas to share with us. I really loved to nights idea, but there is one problem I have with it, when I go on road trips it is always with my friends and I most always do the driving. Thank you so much for all your inspiration and generous time of posting every evening. It is very much appreciated.
What a GREAT IDEA!!!! Thanks for sharing!
I love Susan's hand piecing project. Her quilt will be beautiful! Great tips she had. Thanks for sharing!
What a smart lady! What usually happens when in the car, everything slips and slides all around the place.
Susan's idea is a BIG help. Getting a shower basket ...that is final lol
Thanks for this post.
JulieinTN
What a great idea. And I have one of those shower baskets that I never use in the shower!! Guess where it is going?? Thanks for sharing such a great tip.
What an amazing travel project :)
And me!
Fabulous! Fabulous travel project!
For the life of me I could not "place" the Whirlpool tag.... turns out it is just a microwave!
Amazing "on the go" idea--love that quilt...who'd a thunk of a suction cup holder for the car--super idea...Julierose
fantastic idea!
I don't use a pin cushion since I just use my handquilting needle, but I will be attaching a magnet to the basket so I don't lose any needles in the car. I've used many different methods in the car, but this is my favorite so far! Thanks for the great tip!!!
Stellar hand work, Susan! I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one who quilts exclusively by hand! I have been sewing for over 20 years & have always done so by hand, even making a friend's wedding dress. I have poor vision & machines in general really scare me. I do have a machine that my mom got me that is very simple & easy to control the speed so I can make the needle go as slowly as I need it to go for my comfort level, but I only use it if I'm pressed for time or am working with suede or a similar thick material that hand sewing just isn't practical for. Hand sewing is so much easier for me, more relaxing, I have more control over my work, & it saves on my back, not being hunched over a machine for hours at a time! & people continue to be amazed at all the work being done BY HAND! To me it's nothing; it's just what I do. :) So, HUGE kudos to Susan for being another member of a dying breed of hand-stitchers! It just goes to show that human hands are just a capable of doing gorgeous, wonderful work as those amazing gadgets & machines available today - it just takes us a little longer. :D
Great idea! thanks for sharing!!
I thought the same thing about the Whirlpool car. :) What a clever idea! I'm going to chuckle when we pass a vehicle with a little shower caddy suctioned to the window! I'll be one of them! :)
I'm looking forward to being "ONE OF THEM" too. Upcoming trip to Idaho will have us in the rent car and this suction cup holder is going to save me!! Thanks to Bonnie for posting and to Susan for sharing. I love the Quiltville bubble . . . such a great place to bee! Hugs, Allison in North Texas
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