A neighbor made one with papers from Missouri Star. I think another person I know was using old phone book pages, but I would think that would get ink all over the top and your hands. I have been saving strings in a separate scrap container, but haven't figured out yet what I'm going to do with them.
I think your quilting design could be an allover - swirls, Baptist fan, etc, and would not need to be on the seam lines.