someone i know goes to the local newspaper place/factory, and gets the end of the bolt paper..from them.

Here is what I do -

For a 12 inch block, I would use unprinted newspaper For anything smaller - I use cheap copy paper - It is harder to get out than the foundation paper but here is what I do to counteract that

Use a smaller stitch length when sewing. When ready to remove, fold the paper on the seam line and crease with fingernails and then tear backing off (if the paper still does not want to tear off cleanly - Dip a Qtip in water and damping the seam - let sit for a minute and it will come off cleanly).

I used to use airmail letter paper, as it is thinner than other papers. I now print it onto wash away fabric so that I don't have to worry about pulling out the paper or changing the stitch length etc.

what is wash away fabric? the water soluble stabilizers?

I've done several paper pieced quilts and I just use computer paper. It tears easy and you can copy your patterns and go right to work. I started with lighter weight papers and I like this better.

NewsPrint you can get it online at BLICK works wonderful and it's light enough to see through

How does paper piecing work?

I found some really cheap printer paper that is thin at a dollar store. Just check it out to make sure. But also I found out from a real paper piecer( I am new to it) to use regular school three ring binder paper. There are two sizes, get the larger one that is the same size as printer paper. It works great. Good luck. I love paper piecing, just am a beginner and so I don't do complicated patterns yet.

Rita

I've used cheap copy paper and newspaper with good results, but the ink does rub off of the newspaper. Recently I made a string quilt using the sandwich wrap paper. I went to Sam's Club and bought a box of 1000 sheets for about $7.00. It's tissue-like paper that some places wrap hamburgers in. The sheets are 12 inches square. My quilt was a string quilt, so didn't have any lines to draw. It worked very well. I just started across the middle diagonally, then added strips to both sides till the sheet was covered. Then I trimmed my blocks at 10.5 inches. Since it's tissue type paper, it tears off very well.

I also went to my local newspaper office and got some end-rolls of newsprint paper for my next project. They actually gave me the rolls free. I think each roll probably has at least 15-20 yards of paper and they're about 24 inches wide. I plan to use a paper cutter to get 8.5 x 11" pieces so I can run them through my printer. I hope that works.

I use inexpensive copy paper, copy the pattern in sections and then glue stick or tape them together **not on the sewing lines** only in the tear-away spaces. I use a stitch length of 2 to easily tear away the paper.