I absolutely hate using toxic materials and now only use Elmer's School Glue for putting my sandwiches together. NEVER USE GLUE STICK ON BATTING! I simply put the fabric on top of the batting as evenly as possible and then lift up a corner and, using a big S movement put a thin line bath and forth onto the batting and carefully put the top (or back) down onto the glue. Then I do the rest of the quilt the same way. If it is a really big quilt I may do the gluing more often, beginning at the center of the quilt and going to one end, and then repeat on the other side. After you are done, press it to dry the glue.
Then turn the whole thing over and put the back on (or the front, if you did the back first). All of the glue comes out when it is washed (I always wash a newly made quilt).
When I first started with Elmer's glue I overused it (I was putting a large applique onto a black background) and it was so messy looking!!! But I used less as I went along and satin stitched it all and it came out great! No problem about the messy glue... it was never to be seen after the "hand washing" my machine did. Can you tell I am a convert!!!