By Lynn Holland

If you’re at all like most of us, you have probably resolved to procrastinate less in 2008. One area you may have been putting off changing is your luggage. That old rolling bag of yours still zips with only minor gaps where the stitching has come loose, and you can still tell that it’s red beneath all the cat fur, can’t you? Oh, wait, that was me this time last year.

I really don’t know what took me so long. I have had my Tutto sewing machine carrier for  several years now, and bless the lack of wear and tear on my arms each time I take the old Bernina out for a spin.

However, I never made the connection that such a great sewing carrier would also be a sound investment when I was looking for luggage. Since I travel quite a bit in both my real career and my occasional life as the Traveling Quilter, one would think that this would have occurred to me early on. But it wasn’t until tendonitis (aggravated by multiple airline trips in a short time period) had me taking pain killers on a daily basis that I turned to Tutto.

Of course, as many of you know, Tutto luggage can be harder to get than a hybrid vehicle. They are made in China, and sometimes you must wait several weeks for a shipment from the mother factory before you can have your suitcase in hand. Mine arrived in a timely manner, but it came the day after I had left for a trip! My daughter, however, was quite pleased and very kindly took the homeless bag on a short jaunt to Las Vegas  before I returned. She gave it rave reviews, especially in light of the amazing number of shoes, purses and dresses she had stuffed between its collapsible frame.

I took my Tutto out for the first time on a trip to Texas. I bought the medium Pullman bag because I can stuff a shoe box so full of junk that it won’t make weight, so I tried to self-regulate. It packed very efficiently, including a garment bag that hangs in a side pocket so that it doesn’t get banged up by stuff in the main compartment. The interior compartment also has a strap that holds clothes in place, no matter how tossed around your bag is. What is best about Tutto luggage is that is has “four-wheel drive” and other bags can be stacked on top of it (and secured with the cord provided) because it pulls horizontally as opposed to vertically. The strain on muscles and joints is lessened and it is much easier to control on turns and through doors!

The handle pops off and on for storage during a flight, but it does so with ease and zips into a pocket. But since I have limited upper body strength, my favorite part is that it will go up and down stairs! When  you’ve arrived at your destination, the empty bag can be collapsed to about 4 inches high for easy storage.

The worst part is now I am filled with regret.  It is a type of reverse buyer’s remorse: Why did I wait so long to part with the money that could have made things so much easier? I could have enjoyed Christmas and Thanksgiving last year instead of being in constant pain. If only I had Tutto with me when I had the crisis getting on the train in Baltimore!  I would not have been reduced to whining and begging a young man to help a feeble old lady take her 50 pound bag down a flight of stairs to the track. Instead, I could have wheeled my own bag right down those steps! I could have sat smartly atop its olive ballistic nylon cover while I waited for the parking lot shuttle, instead of shifting uneasily from side to side because my feet hurt.

Based on my rave reviews, my oldest son got the carry-on size for his airline trips. He was quite pleased, and since he travels with his bag fully loaded, gave it a good workout. One unexpected feature of the Tutto was that lots of people wanted to check it out, so he made new friends in each airport. Furthermore, storage is an issue for him, so its collapsibility is a real plus.

So now I’m thinking that one Tutto is not enough. A carry-on size would be a good idea, and maybe even a large one for non-airplane trips where weight is not an issue. I guess I should start heavy hinting now, so that Cupid can be sure he has time to have mine delivered for Valentines’ Day.

 Tutto Luggage is available in the Planet Patchwork Store