Scrap quilting part 2: getting ready to sew

Continuing my scrap quilting series, here are the next steps after your pieces have been cut:

Arrange your squares. This can either be the most fun part, or the trickiest part. I guess my approach is to have each little 9-patch have it's own story. Sometimes I just arrange by color and pattern or sometimes I select squares that come from the same time in my life. They're all different, and that's part of the magic of a scrap quilt. 

Once I have my nine squares selected, I use a template to draw a 1 inch square on the wrong side of the fabric. (I found the template at an art supply store.) I use a thin-tip permanent marker, which may be the wrong thing to do, but it works for me.

After all the squares are marked, I pile them up in order (cause there's nothing worse than forgetting how you had them arranged and have to start all over again), and pin them together. 

And after a little trial and error, here are the supplies I've chosen to use. The thread is a Mettler off white 100% cotton thread made in Germany. The needles are tiny, and took some getting used to, but they don't bend -- they're made in England.

My pins are 1 and half inch long, and very sharp -- they're from Japan.

And here's my little kit. I love that I can take my supplies anywhere in this little bag. Once last note -- it's important to have good scissors (I'm using Gingher).