String Quilting: Paper or Muslin?

[lyric]

Hello again dear quilters,

I've just read about using muslin then paper for string quilting. I am sure you prophytes have good opinion on the benefits of each method. As a don't know what I'm doing yet person I am leaning toward muslin although paper is less expensive.

You say what?

[Annabelle013]

I voted paper because it is the only thing I have tried and found it very easy. I am not a very experienced sewer but found paper string quilting quick. I used the 10 inch papers M* sells and they helped with my usual less than accurate sewing skills and easy to remove.

[JanFasano]

Hi Lyric, I really prefer the papers. If you use muslin you have another layer to your quilt as you leave the muslin on your blocks. Tends to make it a little thicker. By using papers they have diagonal lines on them for easy placing of your strips of fabric. The papers are very easy to remove. I was so excited to see the papers and have been using them for my scrap quilts. Made 4 tops all ready. I tend to do the sewing in a hurry and found when using muslin I was getting off track. Therefore I had another step to square up the blocks. Just my thought on this.

Happy Quilting.

[K. McEuen]

I've always used paper, from blank newsprint or old phone books to the squares that MSQC has. GrammaBabs did her string quilts using used dryer sheets as her foundation.

[lourixe]

I cannot vote, as there is no definite answer to that: using papers requires one more step, tearing it off. But using muslin, as earlier said, means an extra layer of fabric that might difficult the task of quilting. I've used muslin for small items that didn't require heavy quilting, like cushion covers, and paper for blocks that would become part of a quilt.

[lyric]

Hello,

Loving this food for thought. Hmm, so there is "paper" at the Missouri site, eh. Gotta check it out. Although it does not seem too difficult to cut paper and put the diagonal line on it myself as I read earlier today. Some really pretty work out there, gals. I can't wait to finish my Genesis quilt and move on to one of these. I tell ya, it is going to be difficult to give my babies away. I'll just have to take photographs of them and upload to my blog for when I want to enjoy them. Oh, would be nice pics to see the loved ones they are intended for enjoying them.

The cool thing I thought about using muslin was not having to use batting due to the thickness as stated. It is good to know the benefits of the two methods though and one can switch up when necessary.

I am thinking probably the initial thing that came to my mind about the paper piecing is that my handcrank machine's stitch length does not change and I have yet to treadle on my Dorcas to know exactly what she does stitchwise. If her stitches are adjustable as they should be no doubt I would try the paper piecing for my first string quilt.

[jannw]

You might try a small sample with the paper. I usually shorten my stitch length a bit, but when I've forgotten to do so, the paper has still come off easily. I use phone book pages. I like to think of it as recycling and peel them off while watching TV. It's very soothing!

[Sandy Navas]

I, for one, love the muslin with the extra support . . . to me it keeps everything a bit 'tighter' when sewing blocks and rows together.

[Beakkmom]

Ive used paper from phone books, and have found it very easy to work with.

[K. McEuen]

Oh, Jenny's trick with paper foundation piecing? She has her grandkids tear the paper off.