Puckers EVERYWHERE
 

I tried for the very first time EVER to do the Amazing School Glue Baste trick that people on this board just rave about, except like everything else I try for the first time, it DIDN'T WORK. Puckers EVERYWHERE on the backside OF COURSE.

I laid the backing down, then the batting on top of it and pulled the backing up and put the glue down then smoothed the batting over the backing. Then I put the top on the backing and pulled the top back and applied the glue, then smoothed the top over the backing again. Seemed simple enough, right?

The top looks fine, pucker free, so I'm wondering if it is possible to just pull the backiing off and reglue it to the batting. I used regular Elmer's school glue - if I spritz it with water and let the water settle a little bit, will this work? I'm thinking this should work, since the glue supposedly comes out in the wash when you wash the finished quilt.

I had the same problem when attempting Elmers school glue basting. Please let
us know if you find a solution to those puckers. I would love to use glue for
basting but don't need the puckers.

The problem is that fabric slips. You need to put the batting down, first. THEN put either the top or backing onto it. Glue. Smooth. Let dry. Then flip it all over and do the other piece. Always have the batting underneath the fabric, to be glued.

I think the glue STICKS are easy to work with, not a liquid. And I just use it for binding or a little area, not the whole quilt.

Just pull the fabric off the batting. I used glue and decided I didn't like the backing after two weeks. I pulled the backing off the batting (cotton). I washed the backing and put it back in my stash. Elmer's School glue is a not a glue but a heavy starch. Water will dissolve it. If you dilute the glue with water to make a spray, don't use a very hot iron to press it, the starch will scorch if it is thinned.

I have done mine like Neesie, batting down first, backing over that, small sections, and make sure it is smooth. When dry turn over and do front. 3 done this way and no puckers. I don't dilute the glue, but drizzle a small bead over the batting.

This is how I do it.....I put the wrong side up of the backing, on my average size dinning room table, then put down the batting, then the top....I make sure all my edges are correct, I generally cut by batting 2" wider all around, and then my batting 3" wider than top, using this method I can see the edge of my top, the edge of the batting and the edge of the backing all the way around, and know everything is square and good to go......
Next I run a row of safety pins in the middle from right to left, about 8 inches apart, this gives you a ' center flip point'...
Now what I like to do is the top first, so I flip the top to the middle (against the pins) drizzle my ESG (Elmer's SCHOOL Glue) in a thin lazy circle motion about 10-12" ON THE BATTING.....fold down the top and smooth with your hands until the section is wrinkle free, then fold back the top to the bottom of the previous glue, and drizzle again, flip down, smooth and continue until you have the top half done. At the point I spin the top around and do the other side in the same manner, only drizzling about 12" down at a time, do not worry if some of the glue soaks thru the top, it will dry and it will wash out......once the top is done...walk away for lets say 30-60 minutes, this will allow the glue to dry.... Now flip over your quilt having the un-glued backing on top and the dry smooth top on the bottom. You still have the safety pin row in the middle, that has kept everything together. Do exactly as you did for the top, flipping to the pin line, drizzling glue onto the batting and smoothing down the backing. YOU CAN GET IT AS SMOOTH AS GLASS.....once the back is done, and everything is smooth, I like to let it set for several hours or over night if possible....both sides should be very smooth, you will not have any wrinkles, your needle will not get gummed up and after your binding is on just throw it into the washer.....or not :p I hope this helps some people with this great cheap method.....if you need more help PM me

This method of preparing the fabric and batting with pins also works for basting spray.

What a good explanation. I will definately try this. Thanks