Do you travel a lot and want to take your projects with you?
In this post, Chani, our alteration expert, is sharing some of her tips and tricks for traveling with your costume projects with ease. Enjoy!
Hi! Chani here. I am working on new project posts for you, but – as I sit here on a plane, at this very moment – I thought I would share tips for traveling with a costume sewing project.
Lately, I have been traveling a lot as our daughter in WA state is ill (even through Covid-19). Most of it was by car, but once my husband and I felt we could safely resume air travel, that was added back into the mix.
Since much of costume refurbishing is done by hand, my current project is always with me. I have had plenty of flight attendants query me as to what I am working on, or comment on how beautiful the costume I am working on is. (I have also left glitter or seed beads behind by accident – sorry, fellow travelers and cleaning crew!)
What to Pack When Working on a Costume on an Airplane
Sewing during travel is all about being organized and knowing exactly what you will need access to. Determine what is realistic to accomplish. Starting tasks such as removing linings and other elements are easily done while sitting in a compact seat. All you need is the costume, a seam ripper, and baggies in which to stow discarded parts.
Seam rippers are allowed on planes as the ‘blade’ is shorter than a knife (I believe the length limit is 3”, which is why full-sized scissors are not permitted on a plane – that length being determined by what would reach an internal organ if used to stab someone – oops, sorry, perhaps TMI!)
Anyhow, be sure to have a small zip lock if you are removing gems, or a larger one to hold a removed lining. Do not discard the lining as you may use it later as a pattern for a new lining, or to sew back in if in good shape. (Posts on re-lining a bra, and a belt, coming soon.) Basically, I don’t throw any removed items away until the project is 100% finished. You just never know when that tossed item would be just what you want later.
If you plan to do some sewing, use your seam ripper instead of scissors to cut your thread or a snub-tipped pair of scissors; make sure to pack a hand needle, and I always have a spare with me just in case. Safety pins are great instead of straight pins for travel, should you need to pin and hold something in place while you sew.
If you are sewing gems or other trims on, pack each type in its own small zip lock. Craft stores have many different sizes for sale, and I sort gems and trims into different bags so I can find them without pulling everything out. You can then further organize by putting all the zip locks of gems into one larger zip lock, trims into another, and supplies – needles, thread, seam ripper, safety pins, etc. – into a third bag. Then I place all those bags into a final bag to keep it all together. That bag then goes into my carry-on.
The carry-on at my feet at this very moment has a couple of books, snacks, and a large ziplock with a skirt project, needle, and thread. That is all I need at the moment for this project; extra gems and fabric stayed at home in my project box.
What to Pack If You Want to Sew at Your Destination
If you plan to work on the costume at your destination, you can pack larger items in your checked luggage.
Often, I will have my full-size sewing scissors, more trims, stones I may want, fabric, measuring tape, etc. in my suitcase. That way too I can refresh my carry-on supplies for the return trip. Make certain your sewing scissors have a blade cover so they don’t shift in your suitcase and cut something. If yours don’t have a plastic one, you can make one easily with folded cardboard and tape (here is mine, which I have been using for years).
If You’re Traveling by Car
When traveling by car, you have much more flexibility in access and volume – and tools, as you can carry your scissors.
I keep current projects in large 16-quart plastic bins, so when traveling by car I simply carry the whole bin after adding needles, thread, scissors, seam ripper, etc. The lid becomes my work surface on my lap in the car, and the open bin can rest at my feet so I can look for what I need. I still keep everything – loose rhinestones, seed beads, trims – segregated and sorted by zip locks, as I do when traveling by plane. It just makes it easier for me to find things.
My husband has gotten very patient as I use the top of the center console/armrest as a bead holder, and the cup holder on the passenger side becomes my scissor/seam ripper/thread holder. I parse out small amounts of beads, though, as it is easier to get more out than to scoop up and stow loose beads when it is my turn to drive.
When the drive is short, I keep it to something small: hemming a veil or sewing in/taking out a lining. This is true of air travel too, when possible; I save easier projects for the plane. Yet I have done plenty of beading at 35,000 feet. Again, it is a matter of being organized. Determine what segment you will work on, bag those supplies only into a large ziplock, and pack the rest of the project into your luggage.
Right before you depart, make sure you have your needle, thread, and seam ripper. I don’t know how many times I have left home with everything I need . . . except a sewing needle. Now THAT is frustrating!
Do you work on costume projects when you travel? What have you found works best for you? Share tips and tricks with me at Chani@sparklybelly.com. Travel safely, sew onward, and have fun!
Hope you enjoyed Chani’s super practical tips on travelling with your costuming projects! If you did, please share this post with your dancer friends who travel often!
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Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!
P.S. Pin this image for your future reference 😉
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