Iβm back with another review for sewists β this time Iβm dissecting (not really) my all-pink, rolling Tutto sewing machine case.
Keep reading for a review of this premium sewing machine bag on wheels.
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Why I Got a Sewing Machine Case
You may remember the Sie Macht article about traveling with a sewing machine.
Part of the article talked about what to look for in a sewing machine case, and one of the highlighted cases was from Tutto.
I was smitten; based on my research, if you wanted to treat yourself, you get a Tutto sewing machine case.
Now, I have a monthly sewing meetup to which I bring my sewing machine.
My sewing machine weighs 23 pounds, which isnβt elephantine (in the grand scheme of things that are heavy).
But, when itβs paired with sewing supplies, a sewing project, and my regular leaving-the-house stuff (wallet, keys, phone, etc.), the load gets heavy, awkward, and sweaty.
Every month as I schlepped my way to the sewing sesh, I thought, βBoy, wouldnβt a rolling sewing bag be rad?β
So, right around Christmas time 2K22, I gifted myself a Tutto Large Machine on Wheels bag.
β¬οΈ If you’re a visual person, check out this seven-minute video in which we go inside the sewing machine case and see all its features in context! β¬οΈ
Sewing Machine Bag Details
Hereβs everything you need to know about my Tutto sewing machine case.
Price
I paid $225 for the Large Machine on Wheels. I bought it directly from Tuttoβs website, because that was the only place I could find the all-hot-pink colorway.
Dimensions
According to the Tutto website, the exterior is 22 by 15 by 12 inches.
The interior is 21 by 14 by 12 inches.
The site says the case collapses to 3 inches. I think this is from the edges of the bagβs sturdy frame, because when I measured it, the case was 5-6 inches (including the outer fabric).
Materials
The outer fabric is (I think) a heavy-duty nylon. The casters and side hinges (for collapsing the bag) are robust plastic with metal hardware.
The puller bar/handle is (I think) aluminum.
The exterior zippers feature a big nylon coil and heavy metal zipper pulls. There are double zippers on the outside to get into the case.
Inside the case is lighter-weight nylon and mesh for pockets.
The exterior frame is made of fiberglass.
IN-DEPTH: Sewing Machine Travel Bag Features
Exterior Features
Maybe the most notable feature of the Tutto travel sewing machine case is it has two openings β top and front β through which to access a sewing machine.
The sewing machine bag on wheels has a detachable puller bar, which makes it a breeze to tug the bag around.
When not in use, the puller bar fits into the large exterior pockets, but itβs a REALLY tight squeeze.
Speaking of pocketsβ¦
The long sides of the bag have different configurations for zippered pockets. One side has one large pocket and one medium pocket. The opposite long side has a single large pocket.
The large pockets on both sides contain straps with parachute clips. The idea is that you can use the webbing straps to secure stuff on the top of the case.
Both short sides of the case feature one smaller pocket with a velcroed flap. These pockets are large enough for a can of soda water. (Gotta hydrate.)
Interior Features
On the inside of the wheeled sewing machine case are⦠you guessed it⦠more pockets.
The long side with the two exterior pockets has three layers of pockets:
β‘οΈ 1 large zippered pocket (in nylon)
β‘οΈ 8 segmented pockets in nylon (for notions and tools)
β‘οΈ 8 segmented pockets in mesh (for notions and tools)
The long side with the single exterior pocket has two layers of mesh pockets β one large zippered mesh pocket and three (larger) segmented pockets in mesh.
Thereβs a rigid flap on the long side with the all-mesh interior pockets. Tutto calls it a floating divider, designed to expand depth in the case. (P.S. In the vid I call it a particle board platform.)
TBH I think the divider is unnecessary. I use it as a sturdy base for my sewing machine, mostly because the flap naturally flips down.
Speaking of sewing machines, the interior also features webbing straps with parachute clips for strapping down your machine. Letβs keep your baby from sliding around!
How to Collapse the Case
The sewing machine bag has another nifty trick: It majorly shrinks down when not in use.
Hereβs how to collapse the Tutto sewing machine case for storage.
1.) Unzip the top flap. Twist the flap (so itβs parallel to the sides of the case), and insert it inside the case. The case wonβt fully collapse unless the top opening flap is unzipped and stuffed inside. (Ask me how I know this, HA.)
2.) Lay the case on its long side, with the single exterior pocket facing down. This way the rigid flap will flip down and allow the bag to collapse.
3.) Start to collapse the bag on one short side, pressing the hinges toward each other. Donβt fully collapse; we don’t want to put too much stress on the other hinges!
4.) Start to collapse the bag on the opposite short side.
5.) Now that both short sides have started to fold down, fully collapse the bag until it clicks. You may need to squeeze the frame.
6.) Marvel at its skinniness!
What I Love About the Tutto Sewing Machine Case
There are so many things I adore about this case.
1.) Plethora of Pockets
If you canβt find a pocket for it in this bag, youβre willfully being obtuse. Thereβs a spot to stash EVERYTHING.
2.) Entry Points
Itβs cool that the case lets you go in through the top or from the side.
If the case is on a table, you can slide the machine out from the side instead of trying to lift it up and over the top opening.
If the case is on the floor, you can lift the machine out of the top opening instead of crouching to grab it from the side.
Smart.
3.) Quality Construction
The materials feel high end in spite of so many of them being plastic. Thatβs a trick.
4.) Ease of Transport
Yβall, rolling your sewing machine is A LOT easier vs. carrying it. Just sayin.β I donβt care how strong you are, going the distance with casters is better than toughing it out with your shoulders, back, arms, core, and legs.
5.) Storage Size
ZOMG, can you believe how small the case gets when itβs collapsed? It doesnβt seem possible, does it?
Doesnβt it make you wish ALL your luggage collapsed?
6.) βWowβ Factor
NGL I feel kinda special rolling into my monthly sewing meetup with a hot pink sewing case. The Tutto sewing machine case looks cool, and I feel cool (like Iβve got my ish together, LOL) when allllll my sewing stuff for a project is neatly at my fingertips.
What Could Be Better About the Sewing Machine Bag on Wheels
And yet, there are opportunities for improvement.
1.) Flippy Rigid Flap
If you try to collapse the case while itβs upright, the rigid flap (aka, floating divider) flips down, making it impossible to squish down.
Iβm kinda tempted to cut the floating divider out of my case. Unless Iβm missing something, I donβt think thereβs a great use for it. (Help? Am I not seeing something?)
2.) Twisting the Top Opening
I strongly dislike how you have to twist the top opening flap to collapse the case. This step is not intuitive to me, and as I twist, I worry that I might damage the flap. π§
3.) Process of Collapsing the Case
Collapsing the case feels a little harder than it needs to be, from twisting the top opening flap to unlocking and pushing the side hinges.
It sort of feels like youβre on the verge of breaking something; you quickly hit that point of resistance where you start to question whether this IS the right way to collapse the sewing machine bag.
4.) Fit of Handle into Pocket
Continuing on the theme of excessive force, you REALLY have to shove the puller bar into a large pocket. Thereβs almost no ease (ha, sewing vocab) in the pocket for the handle.
5.) Price
This was an expensive toy for me β $225. Could I have found something that worked just as well? Probably.
Final Thoughts on My Large Machine on Wheels
Most of my criticism of the Tutto sewing machine case comes from not having used it for very long. With practice Iβm sure collapsing this sewing machine bag on wheels will be fast and second nature.
What this sewing machine travel bag is designed to do β bring your machine, notions, project from point A to point B safely, efficiently, and easily β it does exceptionally well.
And, for any given project, you could get probably 90 percent of what you would need for it in this sewing machine case.
Pretty much the only thing that you might have to leave at home is a full-sized iron. And, if you had a big piece of uncut yardage, that might be hard to shoehorn into the bag, too.
But, you probably could secure an iron and/or big piece of fabric to the top of the rolling case with the built-in straps. π
In the end, I do not regret buying the Tutto sewing machine case. Every time I have a sewing meetup, I can bring what I need with ease and without breaking a sweat.
Over to you: Whatβs your take on travel cases for sewing machines? Yea or nay? What features most appeal to you? Do you think I paid too much (ooooh, controversy!)? Please leave a comment. Thanks for reading.
I know for me, the issue is cost – I’m retired and I can’t see investing a week’s worth of groceries in a case I would rarely use. It would be nice to have a sturdy case for my machine, but since most of the traveling my machine has done in the last 20 years is alternate with the serger between table and floor, I can’t justify getting one. If I had paid for a modern, i.e. more delicate machine, rather than simplifying my mother’s life by taking her 1960 Singer when she wasn’t looking (it was okay, she had only sewed one baby dress on it, and that was in 1961), I might feel differently about the level of protection it deserved, but that Singer is a tank.
Hi, Alice! Thanks for reading. Yeah, a case is a luxury, for sure. And I totally agree with you – I would not worry much about a case for a beast of a vintage machine.