I don't get what the 'reciept' is for when making string quilts
 

Hi.. I've been watching and I just don't get it.. I've been trying to figure out why people 'sew' onto reciepts to make string quilts. Wouldn't it be the same if you just sew the fabric together to begin with? Also.. I have lots of 'small' pieces and I see lots of people put them together and use them as crumb quilts. So how are these put together? I mean.. if they are small and you use a 1/4" seam how is that going to work.. don't they need to be turned under so they won't unravel? I know lots of questions sorry... thanks ladies

You will just have to make one using a paper base and one without to see the difference.

I have a friend who makes her string quilts without a foundation. It can be done.

It is a foundation in order to use small strips that would otherwise not be easy to sew together. You then usually cut to the size of the base. In the olden days newspaper was used but mostly a foundation fabric. The foundation could be cut in a number of shapes. I have some old blocks that the foundation was a diamond then sewed together to make stars. It was and stil is a "use up"method of making use of otherwise unusual sizes of fabric. irregular width of strips could be used to make a new fabric.

When I was a kid, we cut up old sheets and used them for foundation. Back in those days, the sheets were 100 percent cotton and white, and you had to iron them!

I have a very old quilt top that was made using strips of what was once white fabric. The strips are various is widths but each one has many little pieces sewn onto them and then the strips are sewn toether. I doubt this would have worked very well without the foundation strips.

Diannia

i don't understand the word "reciept" where did you read this.

Someone recently mentioned using old receipts as a foundation for string piecing.

I think maybe she is talking about the cash register receipt rolls. I read somewhere that you could use these, then cut the excess off the edges and you would have a straight strip. My grandma and great grandma used pages out of the Sears catalog. Folded one end over to make a square then cut off the excess. Made the perfect block for sewing your strips to. I remember sewing these for them when I was a kid. I've used paper, muslin, scrap fabric (ugly) haha and interfacing scraps.