I read somewhere about using regular gift wrap tissue paper for foundation (not printing for paper piecing). Believe the post said it disappears or "melts" when washed.
Has anyone done this and if so what were the results. Did the type of tissue paper make a difference.

I am thinking of using it for foundation for string quilting.
"

I would like to know the answer also.

Sounds like a good idea, I hope someone knows.

Yea, because the after Christmas sales, you can get it so cheap. I've gotten it for ten cents a pack.

Are you sure it was for foundation? I've heard of doing this for quilting. Draw design on paper, pin to sandwich, then sew thru the tissue, remove what you can then launder. I don't think that the tissue would be sturdy enough for a foundation, but I haven't done a ton of them either. Hopefully someone with more experience will comment.

Same here.

There is no way tissue paper would ever make it through my printer, which is a big consideration for me.

If I was needle tracing a pattern, I guess it would work fine. Never used it that way but I can't imagine why it wouldn't work.

Edited to add:
Except now that I think about it, I don't know if it's strong enough..Meaning I don't want it falling apart before I'm done with it.

Ironing wouldn't be a problem.
'Cause I remember my grandmother ironing tissue paper. To save. For later. Because you never know when you might need it. ;-)

Sure you could. But, for me, that's getting way too work intensive. ;) I'd rather buy a pad of vellum.

Of course, if you're doing one design, fine. But the PP I did had 84 blocks. No way I'm pinning paper to paper to print it out.
;-)

What is vellum and where do you get it? Price?

There is some misunderstanding. I am not putting it thru the printer but rather use it like the old folkds did. Cut a square and sew strings onto the paper. Turn it over and trip the edges. This is NOT paper piecing as we know it today. I have made them by using muslin as the foundation fabric.
So misunderstanding as to how I will use it. I have read of washaway stabilizer but trying to find some less expensive alternative.

i don't think tissue paper will work nor do i think it will dissolve in water....might be wrong tho!!

when i do string scrappy quilts ( and i do a LOT of them) i use the waxy paper that deli's use to line the food trays. i buy a box at sams or cosco for ( don't remember...the box lasts forever!! ) maybe 10.00. you can pre cut them down to size as they come out of the box about 15 inchs square and they rip off very very easy. i have used old phone books but sometimes the ink would run......

scrappy string quilts rule!!

jodi in leavenworth

I've been tracing blocks onto Artist Tracing Paper.

I think/hope it'll tear easily once I've sewn the paper pieced blocks with small stitches.

Like English Paper Piecing? What do you mean "trip" the edges?

Wait, just went back to read the OP

....Strings or STRIPS????

Vellum is a thicker tracing paper. Works great in the printer (and a big Xerox copier, too).

I get it at Office Depot. It comes in a pad, 50 pages, 11x17 for around $16. I split the pages so I get 100 sheets.

Nancy's Notions has a package of 100 for $10. I just always forget to order from there. ;)

I used pages from an old phone book for string quilt block & crazy quilting blocks. I'm not sure tissue paper is strong enough but it might be if you don't handle the blocks too much. I use tissue paper for tracing quilting motifs and then tape/pin/spray baste it on and quilt right through it.

It's very easy to rip out tissue paper and vellum so I'm not sure why you need it to wash out.

They didn't wash quilts in the old days--no commercial washers and dryers out on the prairie and too heavy to drag to the creek and back. They beat them like rugs or just aired them out so many still have the old newspapers they used for foundations inside of them.

my fingers walked the wrong way when I wrote "trip" the edges.
I meant to say, you cut the edges using the paper square as the pattern. After all squares or other shapes are sewn then the paper is ripped away.

Vellum has been mentioned several times but I thought the cost of almost $1 per page is a bit expensive. However, I remember going to a going out of business sale and buying a box of over 700 12"x18" parchment used in cooking. Got it for about 6 cents a sheet. I will try using that.
I'm trying to make this class as inexpensive as possible.

:?: :?: More like 16 cents per page

I used tissue paper when sewing fabrics like silk or chiffon or taffeta to stabilze the back then tear off. I did a strip quilt with freezer paper but would not do again because..... you had to leave paper on while you sewed the strips together(it was heavy and pulled to the side of machine. I got smart and started tearing off paper (was a pain around corners) leaving only one row of paper at a time while sewing others. Next time I will either use muslim or used dryer sheets-- just bought two big boxes.