Long Weekend Sewing in the Rain: Camping in Radium, BC

Sometimes the best sewing sessions happen in the most unexpected places — like the front lounge of an RV while rain drums on the roof in Radium, BC.

We headed out for the long weekend with big plans for relaxing, walking and soaking in the hot springs. What we got instead was cold, rainy weather and the furnace running every single night just to stay comfortable. Honestly? I'm not complaining one bit.

The Perfect Excuse to Sew

When the weather outside is miserable, there's no guilt about staying in and sewing all day. I had a few projects packed and I made the most of every grey, drizzly hour.

First up was the Sunshine Carry All Tote — now live in the shop! It's made from the Sunshine Carry All Tote Panel by Sally Kelly for Windham Fabrics, and I have to say, it is such an easy, satisfying sew. The instructions are printed right on the panel, so there's no hunting for a pattern booklet. The bag finishes at 16"W x 15.5"H x 4.5" deep — a really generous, practical size.

My one gripe? I wasn't happy with my thread color. I only brought a light thread with me this weekend and it wasn't quite right for the fabric. Lesson learned — always pack a variety of thread colors when you're sewing on the road! Despite that, the tote came together beautifully and I'm really pleased with how it turned out overall.

Cutting for My Next Quilt Project

With the tote finished, I moved on to prepping for my next quilt. I pressed and cut out a full bundle, and this is where my Stripology ruler absolutely earned its keep.

In about an hour I had:

• 244 five-inch squares — all cut from a single bundle
• 27 strips at 2.5 inches — cut from 2 yards of fabric, then subcut into 2.5" x 5" rectangles

All that cutting done in roughly an hour. The Stripology ruler makes it so fast and accurate — if you don't have one yet, it's a game changer for prepping bundles.

Exactly What I Needed

There's something really special about getting away, even when the weather doesn't cooperate. No distractions, no to-do list pulling me in a hundred directions — just fabric, a good ruler, and the sound of rain on the RV. It was exactly the reset I needed.

The Sunshine Carry All Tote Panel is now live in the shop if you want to make your own.  🧵