I agree that the Q-tip dipped in water is probably your best bet at this point. For your next adventure in PP, reduce your stitch length and use a lighter weight paper. Good for you in tackling your UFO's!!

I use the freezer paper method for paper piecing. You don't sew through the paper. Do a google search.

Tweezers or a shishkabob stick works really well.

smaller stitches, lighter weight paper, and use spray bottle of water to spray on the paper.

After my first big paper piecing project I vowed to never use paper again. I use lightweight translucent vellum. It doesn't shred and comes off usually in one piece. It's printable and comes in 8 x 11 1/2 sheets. I don't feel guilty at all not using the cheap paper.

I recently did a paper piecing project with really small pieces and was having trouble removing the paper as well. The 2nd block I made I got a little wiser and creased and folded the paper really well before stitching each seam. That weakened the fibers in the paper. I also used paper meant for paper piecing, it rips easier. I also shortened the stitches. Good Luck and I'm sure your project will be so very nice.

I've been known to throw a pp top into the washer before getting it ready to quilt.

REALLLLLY cheap paper, plus tiny stitch...1.5 is good, and then wrinkle, and sort of scrub the back of the piece together and most will fall off... the cheapest copy paper is more brittle and does perforate easily...

Use a damp sponge and dab at the pieces of paper use your tweezers. Been there done that one. But this really worked for me. Of course sit in front of the television so you can quit saying why the heck did I make this??

Tweezers with very fine tips, and the Purple Thang works great for "rubbing " paper out of small areas