While planning for a trip that will involve some quilting, I try to create a sewing/quilting emergency bag.  Not everyone has what I have in my sewing studio, and there are some things that I just must have to make a quilting adventure go smooth.  Mind you, if quilting is going to be involved, I always ask the person I’m quilting with if they have certain things like a sewing machine, rotary cutter, ruler, etc.  The holy trinity of quilters!

Keeping in mind what the person already has, this is my list of must-have supplies:

• Leather thimble – I am allergic to most thimbles, but the leather ones work perfect for me so I bring my own.
• Nippers – Although a lot of folks have large, sharp sewing scissors…not a lot of folks have the wonderful nippers for clipping seams or corners.
• Thread – I definitely have my preferences in the brand of threads I use, so I try to carry a spool of ecru and a spool of grey thread.
• Notebook or graph paper and pencil – There are SO many places where you can draw quiltspiration for designs, especially on older buildings and even sidewalks.  With a piece of paper and pencil, I can draw the pattern on-site and save it for later.
• Pins and needles – Again, most people have these but I have spent years searching for JUST the right ones that I like to work with.

The final item that I try to never leave home without is my camera.  Quiltspiration comes in some of the least-expected places and with the camera on-hand, I can just snap a photo and either print it or save it to use at a later date and create my own pattern from it. 

I can work with just about any sewing machine, cutting mat, ruler, etc. but when it comes to working with the quilt notions that I have at my home studio, these items listed above help me get in my comfort zone for quilting. 

What would YOU pack in YOUR emergency quilt kit?