Thread: Elmers Glue and FMQ Question

I am experimenting with using glue instead of pins during the piecing process of my quilt. It is a mellon quilt. I lightly glue the outside edge of the seam, then stick the pieces of fabric together (not gluing near the actual sewing line - only along the outside edge of the piece) It works nicely, but I have noticed that as the glue dries (even though it is only a tiny bit of glue) it makes the outside edge of the sewn together pieces hard. My question is what happens after you have prepared the quilt to be quilted. As your needle goes along and hits those hard places, is your rhythm thrown off? If so, does this lead to jurky movements and lines? I was thinking about cutting the 1/16th to 1/8th inch glued area away before FMQ but am wondering if this might compromise the seams. I am still working on sample blocks before I actually start the real quilt. Have any of you noticed any trouble with the FMQ process (as it goes over the glued seams) when it comes to actually quilting the quilt?

I've just used glue for basting for the first time and had no problem with FMQ. Okay, I'm a beginner anyway and encountered enough problems with manoeuvring a whole quilt on my DMS. My suggestion: Why don't you use a trial block, make a quilt sandwich and try it out?

That's a good idea about using a condiment bottle because I do have trouble squeezing the Elmer's glue bottle. Thanks for the tip. I do like using the glue.

You don't need to trim anything. I use Elmer's all the time, both for piecing blocks and basting the quilt sandwich. I don't dilute the glue, and it works beautifully for both.

I use a bottle with a thin tip for piecing and run a very thin line like you did, close to the edge, and then hit it with a hot iron for a couple seconds. Quick and accurate piecing!

If you should make a mistake and line up the edges crooked, just carefully pull them apart and try again.

For basting, I use a bottle that I got at Sally Beauty supply and snipped the tip off so that the hole's a little bit bigger than the one on the glue bottle, and drizzle it on.

When it's dry, the needle goes through like butter; there's no problem at all with those stiff edges or spots, and it all washes completely out when the quilt is done.

I love glue basting. The only problem I have ever had is if there is a lump of dried glue. I dilute my glue and glue all over in a random squirting pattern. When I am pressing the fabric on, I make certain any large globs of glue are pressed flat. It does get stiff but the needle goes right thru. Of course, I always wash the glue out once the quilt is done.

Thanks to each of you! That was a great idea to make a small quilt out of one sample block and then quilt it. It will give me so much more confidence.
Alice