Foundation for string blocks
 

Here's something I discovered.

I was making some string blocks for a charity recently & was looking for some other type of paper to use for the back (to tear off). My DD is a chiropractor & uses disposable face cradle paper on her table. I got a roll from her recently & tried it & it worked great. It's thin, soft & tears away very easily. If you are in good with a doctor or chiropractor, they may give you a roll (or the end of a roll) every now & then for your string blocks. I bet that paper that doctors use on their exam tables would work great also.

I wonder if a medical supply store would have that kind of paper? Just a thought.

You can find most anything on Amazon.

Mine is in rolls & about 8 1/4" wide. I think you can get it wider than that also.

Unless I make QAYG string quilts I don't use a foundation.

Old phone book pages work well for me. I also couldn't find anyone that had an old phone book - so I got resourceful and used "financial" books that you get from your broker in the mail.

I couldn't find on Amazon the 100 for $13. What did you search for ? And does that 100 sheets of paper ? I'm ready to make my first string quilt . Thanks for your help .

I use a paper similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/Interfolded-P...bnet+wax+paper
It works great, easy to tear off, and inexpensive!

Amazon - Type in disposable face cradle paper, lots of choices pop up.

Kids' drawing tablets are often made from a cheap paper like newsprint. They are usually about 8.5 x 11" so a good size for string quilt blocks 8.5" or smaller.

I can these tablets from a local teachers art supply house. They also have a 500 sheet count pkg, I think that I paid $10-$11 for.

I use thin, inexpensive muslin for string blocks that way I don’t have to remove anything.

Found a backing at our local thrift shop unopened with no size on the front but for $1 what the heck. Just opened it the other day and found it thin muslin cut into 2 - 36 x 72 with an extra piece. Can't use it for a backing so decided I'll use it the next time I need a foundation on the back. Its not good for anything else.

I always use newsprint paper as a foundation ... also use in paper piecing. I have purchased newsprint paper at stores that sell teacher's supplies. Years ago our local newspaper would give you the end of the roll they used when they printed the newspaper. It was quite wide and free! I'm not sure they do that anymore.

I buy my deli sheets at GFS and they're less expensive. Also available at Costco in a 2-pack even cheaper yet and then you have one to share with a buddy.
Don't get me wrong, I'm an Amazon junkie too (and I think they need to start recovery programs for us :o )

I like to make my string blocks 10" square and I use full size paper towels (I think they measure 11.4" x 11.4") I trim them down after I sew all my strips. Not too expensive and they work great for me.

I looked, and you can buy whole cases of different widths for $35-$50.

Our dollar store, specifically Real Deals usually carry childrens drawing pads for $1 each with that newsprint type paper.

Also, I frequently repurpose bed skirts from the thrift store and the thin mattress cover part is great for foundations. Sometimes I even use them for t-shirt quilts by quilting the tshirt design to the thin fabric, rather than buying the adhesive backings. You get a lot of foundation squares from a king size bed skirt top!

I've always used phone books. The older the better. New ones can smudge a bit so I use books that are two to three years old.

I use cheap wax paper from $ store--I make mainly 10" and 12" string blocks and the wax paper is wide enough and tears off very easily from the back. In a pinch, I'll use newspaper.

another paper that I use came from Home Depot. It is the paper that is attached with blue tape with some gizmo to mask for painting. The role is 9" wide and there is a lot on it. I also used florist tissue paper which comes in large sheets (I bought a whole bunch at a garage sale). One side of that is smooth and more slippery but using the back side worked and it was easy to remove. My friend took phonebooks to the Fedex office and had them cut into 6" squares for use in foundation piecing.

Clever... I use very thin deli wrap paper that I buy at a local box store. Has a 1K sheets and sheets are 15" x 16". Works great. I share with friends as there's so many sheets.