I have done many string quilts and love using my odds and ends of fabric, I call it making my own fabric from scraps. I do not see why you can't piece by hand if you use a muslin and not paper for the backing, the paper tears very easily and you need stability to sew scraps together. You can also start where ever you want in the square or what ever shape you decide to use (it does not have to be a square), but where ever you start the first piece is placed on rst then the other pieces are sewn to it wst. Happy stripping it is fun and a great stash reducer and I call it almost free if you don't purchase any other fabric to go with it.