That was the phrase used in a Moda Fabrics ad several years ago and I always liked it.  It also fits the occasion - tomorrow is National Quilting Day!

I'm almost hoping for snow - I did say almost! - so that I won't feel guilty if I stay in tomorrow and sew all day - just me and Bernie.

We have 764 half-triangles to make and after giving it a lot of thought - okay, about 1 minute's worth - I decided that I was going to use triangle paper.  It was either that or trim them all to size... so I needed triangle paper.  Since I didn't have any on hand, that meant a trip to the warehouse.  I know... it's such a long, long walk over to the other building.

The truth is that it takes me forever - F O R E V E R - when I go over there.  It isn't that it's all that far, it's that I can't bring myself to walk quickly... that would mean rushing by a sight like this...

Moda Dotties - I knew you'd ask.

Then I get here... United Notions.  All these lovely notions, united in one place.

And I get lost.

Not in thought... not in discovery... lost.  (Reference:  needles, haystsacks.)  The lovely people who work here have been amazingly patient with me, and they're bonafide brilliant!  I've yet to ask a single person where to find something without them knowing exactly where it is.  Even from 50 feet away, they can direct me to where I will find it - no, one more aisle over... on the left side... three shelves in... second shelf from the bottom.

No Carrie, your OTHER left.

Fortunately, I found the aisle with the triangle paper I was looking for - Primitive Gatherings - fairly easily.  (I am starting to learn my way around.)

Why this one?  While I like almost all of the papers I've tried, there is one feature that makes this one was perfect for this project.  I'm using Layer Cake squares for my fabric so I can make 18 - 2" finished half-triangle squares from each square.  Thinking in terms of squares, I can fit a total of 9 squares in the layer cake, a 3 x 3 grid.  The Primitive Gathering paper is printed in a 3 x 5 grid.

So I just stacked the paper and cut it on the line to make my 3 x 3 grid - with a 2 x 3 grid left for something else.  I don't have to draw any lines or grids and this paper fits my layer cake squares perfectly - how perfect is that?  But while I was nosing around looking for the correct paper, I found these...

Primitive Gatherings also makes triangle papers that are specifically sized for using with charm squares.  For someone whose made as many quilts with charm squares as I have, I want to know why I didn't think of this.  (Don't answer that... Lisa is... well, Lisa Bongean.)

Then I got really side-tracked... I think it was the bright, pretty colors.

These are called Tulips.  They're by a company called Smartneedle and they're bobbin clamps.  I think I'm going to need these - doesn't the orange clamp look good on my bobbin?  (And it doesn't hurt that these clamps are a little bigger than the ones I use now.)  They come with a little chain if you want to keep them together for traveling, or doing some handwork.

The same company names these Bobbinis.  Bobbinis... you had me with that name.

They kind of look like mini pacifiers, don't they?  What I like - and what is making me think I'm going to need some of these - is that the bobbini is very secure.  The bobbin isn't loose at all, and it's very secure in the spool of thread.  Trust me, I was knocking them around to see if they'd come out or the bobbin would come off.

These were in the same aisle - also from Smartneedle.  The scissor and sewing machine USBs are very cute, as is the ladybug sewing caddy.  There is a suction cup on the underside that lets you stick it to the side of a machine, or whatever.  The little porcupine bobbin caddy also comes in green.  As with the bobbini, I was surprised that everything fits together securely and the tops or bobbins aren't going to keep falling off.

While trying to find my way out of the aisles - they look straight but with all the distractions, it might as well be a maze! - I was distracted by Maya Road.

The pins are purely decorative - they're sharp but they're a little thick to use for sewing.  But they'll sure look really pretty in my pincushions.  I don't know what I'd do with the buttons yet but they'd be cute on a pillow, a bag or even to embellish one of my pincushions.  Maybe I'll make a pincushion to go with the buttons...  And the spools?  They're just cute.

It isn't like I really need to know what I would do with something before I bought it right?

From fabric to notions, thread to scissors... we like some of this stuff because it's pretty.  And because seeing it makes us happy.

Or maybe that's just me - I'm a little frivolous that way.  And I think that's a good thing.

Have a terrific weekend!