In the MARINER Compass BOOK by Judy Mathieson she shows how to do the paper piecing painlessly .... You do not sew in the foundation piece.. just use it as a guide.

I also have done the flip and sew method to make MILE A MINUTE blocks... Isn't this the same thing without the paper foundation?

Basically sewing fabric scraps / strips together until you can square up a block.

Sandy, I do remove the tissue but it would wash out pretty fast since it is so light weight. The adding or Visa tape I would remove. (great job for the grand kids or for mindless work in front of the TV) I like your idea of leaving it in for the quilt historians
BTW, I do stay stitch about 1/8th of an inch from the edge of my block to keep it from un-stitching before I get the papers all picked out. Then I square the block up to 5 1/2".
Blessings,
Debbie S.
SW~WA

Added art/advantages to the adding machine method...

You can use the adding machine tape as the piece of fabric that many teachers use to start and end their chain piecing of quilts. Just keep the tape by the sewing machine. Don't worry about color coordination... It is almost automatic based on the quilt project that generates your strips. Plus the glory of a String Quilt (whether Star, Spider Web, Spools.... pattern) is that it is sooooooo scrappy it really doesn't matter.

If you want a 6-Pointed String Star, align the tape on the 60 degree marking of your ruler and tear the end off of the tape. Line up your strips or strings along that angle. Then when you cut the diamonds position the ruler in the opposite direction at 60 degrees. There will be a equal lateral triangle to cut off first. Then start cutting the diamonds at the same incriment as the width of your adding machine tape on down the tape. This will align the strips or strings so that they are "straight" across the diamonds. (For an 8-Pointed String Star use the 45 degree mark). If you want to do Spools and the strings on the center square make sure the tape is at a 90 degree angle to start. Try a few and it will become clearer as you play.

After the pieces are pieced I pull out the papers. Most of the adding machine tape I have come across pulls out very easily.

Pati

So far I remove the paper. However, I guess if the design called for a stiff border I could leave it in.
Sherry in S MS

Would you remove the tissue or adding machine tape off before you sew the blocks together or does it wash out. Or do you just leave it and let a quilt historian try to figure out what we were thinking a hundred years from now.

Wow - what great ideas!!!! I had not thought of that but will try it! Thanks!

Mary Kay

I asked my local bakery if I could have a few of those little wax tissues 6"x6" that you use to pick up pastries( I only wanted 10)...the owner gave me a whole unopened box(1000)no charge!! How nice of them.
I flip and sew different scraps until I have the paper tissue covered with fabric, square it up and voila...perfect 6" block! Toss them in a drawer and when I get enough for place-mats or a table-runner, I'll piece them together.
I did give the owner of the store a little table runner for letting me have the tissues. She couldn't believe that wax tissues would help a quilter!! Ahhhhh....pastries and quilting they really do go together!!!
I'm going to start using the Visa tape from my work too, thanks for the reminder, great idea!!
Blessings,
Debbie S.
SW~WA

Pati

I "think" I understand what you guys are talking about but I want to make sure. Right now I'm working with 3 inch strips piecing blocks and I have little pieces maybe two-three inches left over,instead of pitching them in the waste can you are sewing these little scraps to rolled up adding paper. Okay I'm going to do what I think youre talking about and post it in a blog with a photo in afew minutes after I do a sample. Then you all can tell me if this is what youre doing! "I'm pretty sure this may be what you all are talking about.""I think its really agreat idea". Thanks for the reminder on Rickys tip,it agreat tip
Hugzzz,Kathy

I've been using adding machine tape I bought at the thrift store for paper piecing borders. Very handy!
Sherry

I missed this when it was first posted but I have some rolls of adding machine tape and now I have a good use for it.

I just watched the new show with Eleanor Burns and in the beginning Ricky did the string block. I loved the knee trick.

I started collecting strings. The difference is I use the left overs of adding machine tape and the tape from the credit card receipt printer . When you are near the end of the roll there is a little red stripe on the edges. It is no sin to change the roll and put the remainder in my scraps basket. When I'm doing other machine piecing and I get a strip "too small to keep" I sew it onto the role of adding machine tape. Pretty soon that roll is full. It rolls back up onto the core until you are ready to cut it into diamonds (60 or 45 degree) for Strip LeMoine Stars.

Pati