Rose_P

I tried the grid technique using a thin paper thinking I could remove it as with other foundation quilting, but it was much more difficult with all the crossed seams. I have an idea that you could use a product for machine embroidery, such as Vilene or Wash and Gone. These are pretty strong stabilizers (not the filmy kind that are used as topping), but they completely wash out. I've been toying with this idea for some time, but haven't really had the desire to fool around with little squares since my previous unhappy experience. This stabilizer is not fusible and you would have to draw the grid on it, but I think it would be worth a try. You can buy the stabilizer anywhere that machine embroidery supplies are sold including Amazon and Jo-ann's or shops that sell embroidery machines. I was admiring some tiny doll quilts at a quilt show, and the person who made them told me about this technique. I wish I knew her name, but quite a few years have passed.

Editing to add that you would use a fine permanent pen, such as a Micron, to draw the grid. That way when the stabilizer dissolves the ink should go with it and not transfer to your fabric.

I have to say, as others have said, that you should definitely make a single small piece before you commit to cutting a lot of fabric into such small squares. It takes almost as long to sew tiny ones together as 2" squares, and though it seems intuitively that 1" is half of 2", the 2" square is actually 4 times the area, so you are looking at a lot of sewing for very slow progress.