Oh, I like the idea of recycling those dryer sheets...would you still need to remove them, or no?

Very true, but if you already have the rolls of paper it's a good way to use them. My parents had one of those adding machines from back in the "olden" days. When I visited I dug around the desk and found a roll.

I've used fabric and telephone books as foundation also. It's all in what you have around the house handy.

You don't have to use foundation at all if you don't want to. It just makes it more sturdy as you put it all together. I take the papers off after I get the quilt put together one evening while watching TV.

The difference between Crumbs and crazies: crumbs are chain stitched. You usually start with a strip of one fabric that isn't a scrap and sew scraps to it. That unifies your eventual blocks, and it makes it easier to start sewing the scraps together. Then you cut that strip apart, and you chain sew scraps to the resulting pieces. You keep sewing until you have pieces big enough to cut squares, usually 6" squares. The other difference: crumbs are sewn together with sashing - another way of taming the wildness (or craziness) of all those scraps.

great info... thanks

One thing to remember when using paper foundation is to decrease your stitch size. Smaller stitches will perforate your paper more and make it easier to remove.

do you have the actual link for this.. I am unable to find this when I type it in

Your quilts are very pretty. Now I have another one on my bucket list.

Here's a hot link for you ...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...er-t56940.html

BTW there was no need to type it all in ... I just cut and pasted it into the browser and was there.
Then cut and pasted it here, so you had the hot link.

Thank you so much for posting these pictures. I've been reading about this method for some time, but it took these great pictures for me to get some motivation! I'm off to finally do some sewing after a bit of a slump.

Thanks QuiltE!!! Thats what I tried to do but I'm not too computer savvy!! DUH!! I get it right sometimes!! Thanks for coming to my rescue!!:o

No...you leave dryer sheets in!! Just make a good foundation to sew on!!!!

When we did charity quilts some of the local hotels donated sheets they could not longer use for us to cut up and use as the foundation. That way you don't have to tear off all the paper it just becomes part of the quilt. However I do like the idea of using the receipts for a foundation, puts them to good use other than reminding you of what the groceries cost these days. Some of the ones I get are two feet long with all the extras they put on them.

A really good source for adding machine rolls is your local Goodwill or other thrift store. Most people aren't using adding machines any more, so they wind up at thrift stores. Just found a six-pack at my local Goodwill a couple of weeks ago.

I use mostly cotton, and often thin cotton or old sheets, as foundations in string quilts, of which I make many for homeless families. I use strings that have not always been cut on the straight of grain, cross grain, or bias. They are just leftover fabric, small pieces of fabric. The foundation provides the stability.

I, too, love your quilts. What a cool way to use up little scraps. Thanks for sharing.

I love the idea of the cash register tapes...do you remove the paper before you use the strip of strings?

Thank you so much....i`m always working on one.....I just use up small strips left over and sew them on the roll....when I have a full roll, i make it into a quilt....

That`s exactly where I got the idea to do mine......

. However I do like the idea of using the receipts for a foundation, puts them to good use other than reminding you of what the groceries cost these days. Some of the ones I get are two feet long with all the extras they put on them.[/QUOTE]

Oh my goodness! Please don't use your grocery receipts for foundations. Have you ever left one lay on the counter and it got wet? That ink is very hard to get off the counter. Just think what it would do to your quilt when it is washed. You don't want ink in your quilt.

I use either used dryer sheets or fabric that is too thin to use for the face as a base for both string and crumb quilts. Using a fabric base stabilizes the scraps that are being sewed together. Sometimes I use very small pieces for crumb quilts. For the string quilts, I use whatever strings that I have. They may be wider on one end than the other. This means that one side of the strip is on the bias. The foundation stabilizes it. I just use a strip cut in the opposite direction for the next string.This method does not result in as pretty quilt as one where uniform width strips that match with the previous block, but it uses up more scraps and makes a perfectly good utility quilt. It is easy, mindless, relaxing sewing, and some people especially like the effect.

Quiltville.com with Bonnie Hunter has used adding machine tape to use up all those crumbs. It helps to stablize while using all those little pieces. When she is done she flips it over and cuts to size. The adding machine tape just give her a size to shoot for.

I have discovered that the used fabric softener sheets work really great for that foundation piece....the quilt doesnt get heavy like when you use fabric for the foundation...and it smells good too.....you dont have to remove anything the way you do with paper..it washes just fine.....and you can trim it to whatever size you need.

So beautiful! I like the second one particularly, but they are all lovely. Nice pic of your super straight scrappy strips too!

Oh my goodness! Please don't use your grocery receipts for foundations. Have you ever left one lay on the counter and it got wet? That ink is very hard to get off the counter. Just think what it would do to your quilt when it is washed. You don't want ink in your quilt.[/QUOTE]
The paper is removed after piecing.....so won't be affected by washing!!

I definately have to try this!! I have so many scraps and keep saying that "one day" I will try a scrap quilt...this sounds like it can be done while doing something else! I like the idea of having two quilts done at once!

Well, most receipts nowadays are thermal, which means they turn black when you iron them. Yet another reason to stick with the adding machine tape.

Everyone has a fave way to do foundation piecing. My least fave is using any type of paper that needs to be removed. Some people leave it on but when you wash it, it gets kinda balled up and noisy even. It was so messy to rip out paper and it made some of the stitches come loose. Once was enough, now I use a fabric foundation.

My fave way is to use the most inexpensive muslin I can find and on sale OR I've used some thin ugly fabric from my stash (I would not use it for a quilt top or backing) and stitch the strings etc to the wrong side, so it is least likely to show thru to light colored fabrics.

You really did make some very nice scrappies! I have to keep looking back and admiring, especially the first and third ones. thanks for sharing.

thank you so much....i know some people don`t like tearing the paper after, but I don`t mind...i do it as I sew....and so the stiches don`t pull out I backstitch everytime I start or stop.....i know....i`m a bit crazy...but it works for me...lol

HuntAnnette ... I haven't tried your adding machine paper method ... though when I do PPing, I shorten my stitches right up, and the paper comes off easily .......... and no backstitching!

true....i do too....but sometimes when you pull the paper off the stitches still loosen up so i backstitch anyways just to be safe...it is a habit now lol

Old habits die hard! :)
My stitching is so tiny ... sometimes the paper comes off, before it needs to .... and then the painter's tape comes to the rescue as a bandaid! :)

I make my string quilts using muslim as a foundation

that works too...actually i`ve started two tie quilts using muslin foundation....well thy are UFO`s hmmm maybe I should find them and finish them....

lol yeps.....hey great idea .....thanks

I love your quote.

Huntannette I really like your first quilt in this post. Can you tell me what the block size is and what width you cut your strips? I would like to make one of these. Thanks

The cash register roll would be a good way of storing your tiny scraps. When you're done with a quilt and have a bunch of bits left, take some time to sew them out onto a roll. Easy-peasy to store them and they don't wrinkle. Then when you feel like using them, make a quilt like huntannette has above! So nice! You could even start several rolls if you wanted to segregate your scraps by color or something. What an idea!

BTW, I often find rolls of adding machine tape hanging in bags at the Goodwill in the art/office supply section. I used to have a number of rolls that were being purged from my work but I gave them away when I took all the "craft" stuff out of the sewing room. LOL, didn't see this thread in time but I like the concept!

Alikigirl, looks like Huntannette is still on the board but not as active as she once was -- hopefully she will see this and reply. It looks to me like the quilt you like was made with even width strips of the background fabric and the pieced part. I'd guess they are about 2" wide, and so the block is somewhere around 14 x 16-18" ish.

check this https://www.quiltingboard.com/tutori...er-t56940.html
It is much easier using a foundation for those little strips of fabric and thy don t have to be perfectly straight because you just trim the sides when your done...the worst part is removing the paper lol but I enjoy doing it