Besides paper, usu Carol Doak's newsprint, I have used old catering tablecloths or napkins. That way, I didn't have to use batting & called them summer or porch quilts, like my grandmother did. Also, I had an old Kenmore that I used for piercing stacks of paper instead of the papers or the fabric. My newer machines won't let me do that as they have a sensor that says the bobbin is empty & won't stitch until I put in another one. Oh the joys & heartaches of computerized machines.