I use really super thin (cheap) muslin, too. I think it gives the block a nice hand. And I also agree that strips of varying widths will add interest.

My favorite paper to use is the white tissue gift wrap paper that comes in sheets about 20" x 30" Tears very easily and No ink. After Christmas I collect it, iron it, stack and cut to size....

I used phone book pages with no problem what so ever.

Phone book pages do not get ink on the fabric, but when you remove them, you will get ink on your hands. Remember to shorten your stitch length to about 1.5. It makes it much easier to remove the paper. The strips can be any width, and can be wedge shaped. I just finished a Bonnie Hunter pattern that used lots of string blocks!

I would use dryer sheets before i would yellow pages or a piece of cheap muslin have your friends save there dryer sheets

Ok, everyone. Are you ready for this? There's a roll of very thin semi-transparent white stuff for sale at Lowe's, called "Sediment Shield for Trenches", which was recommended to me by a quilter I know for use as a foundation for a selvedge quilt I am making. It is very inexpensive (the roll I got is 24" wide by 300ft long--it comes in different widths, etc.) and weighs next to nothing, and doesn't have to be removed. This quilter had made a selvedge quilt using muslin as the foundation, and was unhappy with how heavy the finished quilt was. I have been cutting 12" squares and using them for a foundation for my selvedge quilt, and it works fine.

One of these days I plan on trying it for paper piecing. It's very thin and I'm sure I'll have to hand trace each block pattern onto it, but I still think that's preferable to having to remove all that paper. Not sure how it'll work for that, as it's not stiff at all...

Hello, all. I have used phone book pages and they worked fine. No problems with ink smudges. The size did of the phone book did limit the size of my squares. I also used some cheeeeeep muslin that was given to me with good intentions but was of such poor quality that I could read the phone book pages through the muslin. Tee-Hee! I got the muslin out of my way and honored the intention of the one who made the donation. One or the other? Both worked just fine for me.

Great idea! Thanks

Dollar stores usually carry a pad of lightweight tracing paper; you could give this a try as well!

Never have used phone book pages, but a caution...newpaper ink makes me crazy with an allergic type reaction. So, if you are making it for someone else, you might want to check out allergies. :( :mad: I would use a paper without ink. Check the Dollar Tree for thin paper...I don't understand why folks are using phone book pages??? :shock: