I use cheap paper and stitch the pattern out with a heavy duty (jeans) needle with no thread. I set my stitch length at about 2.1. When I stitch with fabric I stitch at 1.5 or 1.8. I still have to pick with tweazers but hardly anything. I also baste my edges or seam lines and leave my paper on till the quilt is totally stitched together. It is a little extra work but worth it to me.