Basting with Elmer's Glue - - - ugh
05-04-2021, 04:17 AM
#91
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 752
I have glue basted more than 80 quilts using Elmer’s Washable School Glue. I tried other methods, but like the glue basting best because I never get any puckers on the front or back of my quilts. Using this method, the quilts never come out stiff and there is no chemical smell or overspray to deal with.
1. Roll the quilt top on a pool noodle (right side up). This will make it easer to put the top on the batting later.
2. Fill a carpenter’s glue roller bottle with undiluted Elmer's Washable School Glue. Do not dilute the glue because you want it come out of the bottle slowly.
3. Starting at one end, gently squeeze the glue bottle to feed a small amount onto the batting in an X pattern, making sure there are no glue globs that would make the quilt stiff. Aim for a thin line of glue, not a wide strip, about the width of a line drawn with a fine tip marker. If it looks like there's more glue than I want on the batting, I stop squeezing the bottle and just use the roller to "spread" it.
4. I usually apply the glue in a 10” -12” high row across the batting, then begin unrolling the quilt top onto the glued batting a “row” at a time.
5. Remove any wrinkles as you go by smoothing the glued top from the center to the edges with your hands, similar to the way you’d smooth wallpaper on a wall.
6. After the glued top has dried a few hours, flip the sandwich and glue the backing to the batting following steps 1 through 5 above.
7. Let the glued backing dry overnight.
I wash the roller thoroughly with warm water immediately after using it to glue. The roller can be easily popped out and I just rub it down with my fingers under warm water to remove the glue and any accumulated fuzz/threads. The roller is a made from a hard rubber. As long as you clean the glue after every use, the bottle and roller should last for years. There really is nothing to wear out.
This is the easiest way I have found to glue baste my quilts. The glue is cheap at $10-$15 per gallon and will glue numerous quilts. Quick and easy to do, no chemical smell or overspray, and no puckers in the finished quilt. Hope these tips help.
Carpenters’ glue roller bottles are available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ref_=pd_gw_unk
1. Roll the quilt top on a pool noodle (right side up). This will make it easer to put the top on the batting later.
2. Fill a carpenter’s glue roller bottle with undiluted Elmer's Washable School Glue. Do not dilute the glue because you want it come out of the bottle slowly.
3. Starting at one end, gently squeeze the glue bottle to feed a small amount onto the batting in an X pattern, making sure there are no glue globs that would make the quilt stiff. Aim for a thin line of glue, not a wide strip, about the width of a line drawn with a fine tip marker. If it looks like there's more glue than I want on the batting, I stop squeezing the bottle and just use the roller to "spread" it.
4. I usually apply the glue in a 10” -12” high row across the batting, then begin unrolling the quilt top onto the glued batting a “row” at a time.
5. Remove any wrinkles as you go by smoothing the glued top from the center to the edges with your hands, similar to the way you’d smooth wallpaper on a wall.
6. After the glued top has dried a few hours, flip the sandwich and glue the backing to the batting following steps 1 through 5 above.
7. Let the glued backing dry overnight.
I wash the roller thoroughly with warm water immediately after using it to glue. The roller can be easily popped out and I just rub it down with my fingers under warm water to remove the glue and any accumulated fuzz/threads. The roller is a made from a hard rubber. As long as you clean the glue after every use, the bottle and roller should last for years. There really is nothing to wear out.
This is the easiest way I have found to glue baste my quilts. The glue is cheap at $10-$15 per gallon and will glue numerous quilts. Quick and easy to do, no chemical smell or overspray, and no puckers in the finished quilt. Hope these tips help.
Carpenters’ glue roller bottles are available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ref_=pd_gw_unk
05-04-2021, 05:33 AM
#92
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,348
Originally Posted by SemiSweet
I always dilute it to half water and half glue, that helps a ton. Make sure it's hot/warm water so it will easily mix. I've never had it wet still after letting it set out for an after noon and over night. If it does happen to still be wet though, you can run your iron over it to dry it a bit.
Next time I glue baste, I'm going to go a step further and try this method:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6598712_make...lue-spray.html
Next time I glue baste, I'm going to go a step further and try this method:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6598712_make...lue-spray.html
05-05-2021, 03:56 PM
#93
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 619
Originally Posted by Stitchnripper
I don't have your problem but have read here that some people pour it out, dilute, and paint on very thin with one of those foam craft brushes. You don't need a lot of glue. Maybe this will work for you.
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