I don't use a backing, but then I don't make my string quilts in the typical manner, either. I sew long strips of fabric cut from the whole width of the yard, not scraps. I sew my strips together, starch the snot out of them, then I cut on the bias into squares and assemble. The starch stabilizes the bias edges.

I have done it both ways and successfully too. With the foundation backing, I find I can use smaller pieces whereas when I simply sew strips together, the strips must be a certain length. I am fairly cheap, in terms of wanting to use all my scraps. So I prefer to use foundations. As was said earlier, try both ways and see which you prefer. In quilting, there is no steadfast right and wrong.

http://www.3dudesquilting.com/docume...inQuiltPDF.pdf

I make them both ways. The above link is really good. I have used much smaller lengths than this pattern also. I hte using fabric as it is really thick at the intersections. I had to be very careful when quilting it not to hit them and throw my machine out of proper timing.

That is really good advice. I have always used a foundation and never questioned it. I use muslin or phone book pages if they are large enough. I like to peel the paper while DH sleeps in his recliner :)

I've made many string quilts and have never had a problem making them without any backing. I do spray starch as I go. Guess I've been lucky in having no stretch. I'm extra careful as I put each block together.

Heavily starching is the way to do if you don't use a stablilizer of some sort. I made one without and had a lot of bias edges and had to ease in a lot of fullness. It's really a matter of preference. I'd never used a stablizer before, I'm working on some blocks now that I'm using old phone book pages for backing. I don't know if I like it yet.

Thanks. I was concerned about the extra weight when using fabric.
Dryer sheets might be good and not have to take them out like paper.

I'm taking the BOM from Craftsy classes and one month we did string quilts. We didn't cut on the bias. We did two blocks. One we had backing, and the second we had backing just so we knew how long to make our pieces, but we didn't use the backing...we cut it away after we sewed our string block together. I liked that method better because the block was thinner. But, like I said, we weren't using bias fabric. Anyway, why do you use bias fabric for string quilts? Wouldn't it be easier to cut on the grain? Am I missing something?