I don't think that Elmer's glue flakes off...it seems to go into the fabrics. It also doesn't gum up my needles. I have used it on the very edges of appliques and it is easily sewn through by hand or machine. A very little goes a long way :wink: I use it all of the time for basting instead of pins.
I was at a LQS the other day, I mentioned an idea I had and it involved Elmer's, as I was looking around. The owner had tried the basting glue and she was unhappy with it. It didn't dry fast enough, apparently it didn't say on the bottle to heat set it with an iron.