Am looking to write an article about fulltime rvers who quilt. Need feedback.

What sort of feedback do you need? I make quilts in my travel trailer.

Karen

I also quilt in my custom built "quilt wagon" New Horizon. I have a craft table, a q snap quilting frame, A John Flynn quilting frame for machine quilting etc. What questions do you have?

Cathy

Not me! But Ellen does. Check out her website and there is a place to "contact Ellen"
http://www.ellensquiltcreations.com

We full time, and I love to quilt. My husband converted a 16' car hauler into my CUBBY HOUSE it has heat/ a/c, sat. tv etc. plus lots of storage and 16' table on one side and 6' in front. I even have a extra chair for those who want to come quilt with me.

quote:

Originally posted by Kokomomo:
What sort of feedback do you need? I make quilts in my travel trailer.

Karen

Karen: i am interested in how you go about quilting in a small space. What adaptations have you done to make it work for you?

quote:

Originally posted by Raimund and Peggy:
We full time, and I love to quilt. My husband converted a 16' car hauler into my CUBBY HOUSE it has heat/ a/c, sat. tv etc. plus lots of storage and 16' table on one side and 6' in front. I even have a extra chair for those who want to come quilt with me.

Raimund & Peggy:
How can you actually quilt in your cubby house? I can't imagine how you can lay it out flat in order to get everything straight? Do you find it easy to find good fabric shops?

quote:

Originally posted by Quilt Lady:
I also quilt in my custom built "quilt wagon" New Horizon. I have a craft table, a q snap quilting frame, A John Flynn quilting frame for machine quilting etc. What questions do you have?

Cathy

Cathy:
Do you have a certain way that you handle or organize your space for ease of management? Do you have a special tip you would like to share?

quote:

Originally posted by Kokomomo:
What sort of feedback do you need? I make quilts in my travel trailer.

Karen

I am amazed that you can quilt in a travel trailer. How in the world do you manage that. Storage is a premimum. Do you just make tops and finish later? Do you take advantage of places that have big tables or what? Anything you can tell me would be helpful. Are you full time?

quote:

Originally posted by ORcoasters:
Am looking to write an article about fulltime rvers who quilt. Need feedback.

I am interested in suggestions on how you pull off the quilt making. people you connect with that do the same and how you keep the interest going. How do you organize and manage it all? How do you find good stores along the way?

Boy is this a subject near and dear to my heart. I too full time and quilt. We are in a 40' motorhome so I have some storage. Here is how I do it.

I have 2 big rubbermaid tubs with fabric and stuff. I keep small tubs of stuff and my sewing maching in the bottom of my closet and anywhere else they will fit. I also use a "Grace" floor hoop to hand quilt. The dining room table is my sewing surface.

I have found that there are lots of really good quilt shops everywhere. They have great fabrics. I never buy batting until I need it. And I do not keep left overs. They take up to much room.

When I am ready to sandwich a quilt I either find a club house with table, a fabric shop with tables, or I use my Q snap frame and pin a section at a time. This can be done outside if need be.

All finished projects are sent to my sons house (or who ever they were meant for)

But the most important part of this is a husband who does not mind this passion and the mess it creates.

I have a 2 piece "Horn of America" storage chest #06 and #07 from the hornofamerica.com site which are contained in a "closet" just inside my door. [I had New Horizons turn a bathroom closet 90 degrees so that it opened into the living area]. There is also more storage space in a compartment above the closet. I also had them change a desk area to a blank area where my craft table # 2111 stays. It is 40" wide and 35"high and 16" deep as it travels tied down by a tiedown connected to 2 eye bolts. It can open up to 72" if needed but I usually just open it to 45" to sew or serge or cut fabric with just the 1 leaf out. My sewing machine and serger travel on the bottom shelf of the craft table surrounded of course by fabric for padding and cushioning. We do tend to go on rough roads even some logging roads. I am able to use my Bernina 180 with solar power. I also have a June Taylor cut'n Press ll which I place on top of my covered burners for pressing as needed. I use a Rowenta travel iron for dry or steam pressing. Since I had my kitchen counters raised to 39" therefore making the stovetop area 42", it is very comfortable. I also make use of the new basting sprays to speed basting and rarely use pins any more. I have satellite internet and watch QNN. [www.quiltersnewsnetwork.com] for new ideas and inspiration. I also carry the "Quilters Travel Companion" which lists quilting stores all over the US and Canada. I also order over the internet as needed. We do have a storage space where we used to live as we still have quite a few watercolor paintings of my late father-in-laws as well as many BOMs and extra quilt fabric that I had collected over the years. Every year when we return for Dr. and dental appts., I restock. I tend to make quilted gifts for family and friends. I've connected with many a quilter by just sitting outside at the picnic table or in a chair and doing some hand piecing or quilting. Also I tend to pad all sorts of empty places in our unit with extra fat quarters etc. As we go back and forth into Canada, we sometimes get inspected. I always warn them that there is fabric everywhere. After opening a cabinet or 2 and having fabric fall out, they usually smile and say that I wasn't kidding. I have taken a couple of pictures of my setup if you would like me to e-mail them to you.
Cathy

Peggy:
How can you actually quilt in your cubby house? I can't imagine how you can lay it out flat in order to get everything straight? Do you find it easy to find good fabric shops?[/QUOTE]
Quilt shops are easy to find in all states. I have it better for cutting fabric than you in a stick house. 16' long cutting table with another table 6' if needed. Since we full time having the "Cubby House" is perfect. I can leave up all three machines all the time, and just turn the light off any leave. I tried in the 38' Alpha Gold 5th wheel but I could never get anything done because I spend more time putting things away. Remember most resort have a room you can with tables you can use to cut on with your mat, or pinning your quilt. I quilt some, but I mainly like to make the tops. At Golden Village Palms RV Resort in Hemet, Ca they have a "Golden Thimbles" that meet 3 days a week. If you need any tips let me know.
Peggy

I am a fulltimer in a 32 ft travel trailer with one slide.I took the dining table out of our trailer and replaced it with a two station computer desk. The smaller station is my husband's (he plays computer games), the larger one is mine. I use my laptop computer there, and put it away when I am sewing. I have a wicker trunk in front of the sofa that functions as a coffe table. I store all (well, most of) my fabric and tools inside. I have room under the bed for cutting matts and larger pieces of fabric. I cut pieces on the kitchen counter, and sew at my little desk. I have a tabletop ironing board that sits on the kitchen counter when I need it. If I am making a baby quilt, I can pin baste on the floor in the kitchen area. I have made quite a few baby quilts this way.

If I am making a larger quilt, I wait until I am at a place that has large tables I can use to pin my quilt. One advantage of waiting, is that usually when I set up in a public area on a large table, I usually wind up having two or three ladies come and offer to help me. If I can't find a large table to use, I can usually go to a quilt shop and they will let me use their space to do my pin basting.

Now, for the quilting part. I usually quilt by hand. I do not own a hoop or quilt frame. I tried quilting with a hoop in the beginning, but it did not feel comfortable to me. So, I just hold the whole thing in my lap and quilt it. I have quilted some smaller ones, like baby quilts and twin sized ones, with my sewing machine, but I like the way hand quilting looks.

I go to thrift stores in whatever town I am in and look for fabric. I have found some interesting pieces in several towns. I found some 1960's cotton fabrics in a thrift store in Georgia. I guess you could say I collect fabric as souvineers.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ks.eidson/album?.dir=/2783

a link to some pics of my quilts and one of my work space.

Karen in Virginia "for now"

Kokomomo:
I appreciate taking the time to fill me in. It was just what I was looking for. Do you know anyone who quilts and then donates to causes? Churches, ill children, needy mom's?
Pat