Now that I've sewn my scraps sewn onto register tape and into a quilt...
 

how do I get rid of the paper?

What have you done that has worked?

Thanks for any hints.

I tried to wash the top only on gentle cycle and I plugged up the filter on the machine. Plus a few of the seams gave out which I will repair, of course.

I was thinking next time of sewing a piece of tightly woven fabric to the back side, washing it and hoping that the second piece of fabric will eliminate the fraying that occurs and the paper from floating around it the machine.

Like paper piecing, when sewing onto register tape, you should be using a shorter stitch length. That will help get rid of the paper. But it's too late for that. A seam ripper can help in reaching those small pieces of paper. Maybe someone here has a better idea. Putting another piece of fabric on the back for washing might help. The paper didn't come off in the dryer?

Oh dear ... I hope that a few popped seams is all that has happened negatively, and that your quilt top is fine otherwise.

I think your remedy now would be to work at it piece by piece to pick out the paper. You might find a lint roller may help, maybe not, as the paper that is left will have changed and may be glued in there a little. Be careful if you are using a stitch ripper (or anything else), that you don't damage/cut the stitches further. A pair of tweezers may help you get some of the pieces out.

ditto ... i sew with a short stitch when PPing and the paper just comes off easy-peasy. Sometimes I have to use bandaids (aka painters tape) to keep it on, til I am ready for removal.

I'm thinking for next time. This time...the paper came off and all over the top, etc. I didn't put it in the dryer lest hte seams really come apart...there are a lot of unfinished seams that have real potential to come apart. I didn't want to dry this one until I actually quilt it.

But I love the look and sewed more scraps onto another roll of tape. After making it into the quilt top, picking it all out with a seam ripper seems tedious to me. So tedious I don't think I can stand the thought of it! :)

I like to sew the strips onto old telephone book pages, the quality of the paper is not that great, still use a smaller stitch. I have many pages covered this way and when I need them they are already to slice and join up to make a long strip, there is a little bit of wastage doing it this way but hey they were only scraps in the first place and now you have re-invented them I to a quilt

I have never heard of sewing onto register tape or telephone book pages. I use the paper for paper-piecing and use the seam-ripper/fingernail way of removing the paper. Alway learn something different on this board.

Fold the paper on the seam, creasing it with your fingernail. It makes it easier to tear without pulling on the seam. I found a roll of paper in the paint section that is 6" wide and is light weight brown paper used for taping things off. I'm going to use that for paper piecing strips on the diagonal. I think it will work out well.

You can run the back edge of your seam ripper against the seam to score it and pick out any leftovers with a tweezer.
(and yes--shorter stitches next time)

I don't enjoy paper piecing, but tried it for a class. We were told to run a wet q-tip along the stitch line. Of course very small stitches. :o)

A tracing wheel works pretty good to get the paper from the seams.

I use newspaper squares and a really small sewing stitch. I don't have any trouble tearing the newspaper off.

Just finished my first project using telephone book pages.
Shorter stitches certainly helps in removing the paper.
Ended up sitting in front of the tv one night to remove all the paper.

Here's how the back looked... before.

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Up close..

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Finished product.

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Any small pieces try using masking tape and gently stick it over ther area with bits on and pull off. A little like waxing.
When I paper piece I use small stitches and spritz the paper and sometimes run my nail gently Down the seam with my nail . The nail will rip paper slightly. Now just use hand and struck off. Makes a lovely mess.

I remove the paper when I have the strip done, before incorporating it in a quilt top - never wash any pieced item until it is sandwiched and quilted.

Remember the tracing wheel we use to use in sewing clothes? I think they are still made...would that help??

I not only find myself eyeing the fabric in peoples clothes to cut up for quilts but I find myself thinking of ways to make a quilt out of artwork etc. I think I have an obsession problem.

I haven't ever done that before but I am interested in finding out the best solution.

Tracing Wheel? Does anyone still have theirs. I think I could find mine, but I haven't used it in 20 years.

About that seam tape paper from the paint store: That stuff is pretty strong. You'd probably have to test it on a small patch to see if you could get it off. It is even strong when wet, so I don't think I would use it.

Was that why the strange look on your face - you were visually making my dress I was wearing into a quilt. LOL :-)

Marysewfun

For future quilts,you can purchase paper that dissolves in water. I used it for my paper pieced quilt and it worked great. NO picking little bits of paper out. The only problem, the paper is pretty expensive. I learned on this board another paper to use is the cheap dollar store tracing paper pads. One poster said it came out very easy. Hope this helps.

I fold the paper on the seam, big pieces tear away easily. In the evening I will take my blocks in front of the TV and use a tweezers for the small pieces.

I enjoy paper piecing and with the shorter stitches I don't have a problem with left over paper. I do fold it at the seams before removing it, maybe that is the secret? Don't know, just don't have any major problems.

I couldn't find adding machine tape other than in 12 roll packs so I used strips of muslin. No paper to pull out & love the look of paper pieced binding.

this may sound radical and like a heresy but why tear off the paper at all. Back in my younger days my dear Emma taught me to sew crazy scraps to newspaper. We did not tear off the paper but simply went ahead and sandwiched and quilted the whole thing. The paper melted into the batting with the first washing and drying. Remember this was the good old days and we used a wringer washer and line dried. I have made several quilts this way since, last year to be exact I made a queen size string quilt pieced on paper. I always wash and dry, all automatic now thanks be, as the last step. Again the paper melted into the batting. So what is the fuss? Even if you do tear off the paper and a few bits remain no problem. Either way the paper is no problem. So I say sew it up, leave it on and wash your problem away. One note, the paper will dull your needle so change it after the project is done. P.S. That quilt, only my second one, won a blue ribbon at the county fair. Emma and I were so proud.

Try this; sew with a shorter stitch, fold the paper at the seam, then here's the trick... using a plant misting bottle, mist the paper then put the block in a zip lock bag and let it set for a few minutes until the paper absorbs the mist. Now the paper will almost melt away from the fabric. I read this method somewhere long ago, thought it made sense, tried it and it really works. :)

I run a paintbrush over the seams, soften them up and makes it easier to seperate the paper.

Register tape.....really? I have never heard of this. Phone book pages yes, register tapes no. What type of scrap quilts are you making. Hope you did small tight stitches otherwise you'll have a really mess on your hands.

I've used a 'stiff' nylon brush to brush the little paper bits up. It may take a bit but they do come up.

Actually, it's not radical at all to my thinking after my experience. When I did wash it, the paper (very thin to start with) basically dissolved.

here's what I'm talking about
 

I took a roll of adding machine tape and sewed scraps on it.
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another picture[ATTACH=CONFIG]409423[/ATTACH]

Then I sewed them together to make a top:


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and
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Then I washed it because I didn't know the best way to get rid of the paper before actually doing the quilt--

and I did get my machine cleaned out without calling the repairman. :)!

but this is how it turned out after I washed it. The idea of taking off the paper off those tiny little pieces was more than I can bear. I don't sit and watch tv in the evenings as a general rule, so that isn't an option to me.

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and

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So next time I will try to go ahead and just finish it, including quilting it and THEN washing it...because these are so tiny that I can't see that they will be a problem. At least I think I'll try it.

spritz the paper with water before you start to tear off the paper..... just fyi, a long time ago they left the PRINTED newspaper in the quilt....no problem

I am always learning something new from all of you ladies. I love this quilting group. Thanks to everyone for all their input.

I have a question. I am pretty new at some of these techniques. My question: Is there any reason why you would sew your scraps onto a roll of adding machine tape, rather than just plain sew the scraps to each other and keep sewing new scraps to the group as you go. Not sure I understand why sew them to the paper.

I usually use my nails but for those stubborn corners I use a tweezer to pull them out.....actually , now I remove the paper as I go....much easier....as soon as i`ve done a block or part of one i remove the paper then keep going....live and learn....i`ve done quite a few quilt tops using adding machine paper.....i always have one on the go....i sew some of my scraps as thy accumulate , then decide what to do with it when it`s all ready....don`t forget to use a very tiny stich...it helps a lot.

it keeps them nice and straight and easy to trim....and you can just keep going and going.....

As huntannette said it keeps them straight. I would ever be able to make a straight strip without a background. Most of the time, I use trash fabric that I can cut as wide as I like; very light weight, and/or something I don't really like. Makes your quilt a little heavier, but then you can use a thinner batt.

Since you didn't have any particular pattern, why didn't you just sew onto muslin squares? That way, there is no paper to remove. Just curious. Your tree skirt is beautiful.

Looking at her picture, she "crazy quilted" a lot of the scraps, rather than sewing them all in straight line. You need some type of foundation for that. An alternate method would be to cut strips of muslin to whatever width you wanted and sew the fabric onto that. You would have strips that were 36 or 42" (depending on the width of the muslin) that could be clamped to a hanger so they would stay straight. Then, when they were washed, there wouldn't be anything to rip out.

jusflyingin - that's a beautiful quilt made with the adding machine tape.

Just seeing the rolled up tape with fabric on it made me think of the 1600 quilt. I bet that would be pretty, too.