Elmer's glue basting - stiff as board
 

I did a sample using leftover blocks, batting and backing from the quilt I am going to do next. I followed the instructions on the Board, using fresh Elmer's School glue, did the wavy S curves about 3" apart, criss crossed into a grid. Smooshed, smoothed and dried overnight. The fabric where glued is stiff as a board and hard as a rock.

I didn't thin it because I didn't want it to soak through the cloth to the outside of the sandwich. Instead I think it smooshed into the Quilters Dream Request-weight poly.

Do you all thin it?

My next act is to try quilting it, if possible. I have samples with Dritz and samples with JT adhesive sprays. Both are nice and soft. then I am going to wash them all and see if they come out soft, gummy, or stiff.

Appreciate your comments - thanks!

I don't thin mine and use the thinnest drizzle of glue and it hasn't been stiff like that. My basic mechanical machine sews right through it and it doesn't gum the needle. I wonder if your wavy curves had too much glue? Will await more answers.

did you use a bottle with a small tip? I don't sandwich with the glue, but do use it on bindings without any issues. If you use a small amount it's not too bad. I don't know what it would be like to quilt through it like that. I love the 505 spray baste and will continue to use that.

Elmers has school glue AND washable school glue. Make sure yours is the washable kind.

I hold the bottle of glue up high and the glue stream is very thin. I make squiggle lines. My quilt is never stiff.

I did NOT use one of the special metal tips like with that Roxanne's glue (or whoever she is I forgot the name). Just squeezed it on the way it come out of the container, which is not a narrow tip. It came out like frosting from the small round tip.

Well, I've got plenty of stuff to work with so I guess I'll try again - maybe try one with narrow tip, one diluted. Maybe one with the glue stick (even a klutz like me ought to be able to use a glue stick LOL)

And I held the bottle right at the batting so I could kind of smear it a little.

Thanks

This is what I do too, with same non stiff results

I have created hard spots in mine by getting glue blobs. My sewing machine still quilted in just fine. I went more slowly through the blobs. When washed all the hard blob spots were gone.

I'm now more careful to keep my lines thinner and have no problems. All in all, I think I like spray basting better for ease of use, but it stinks and costs too much. I'll stick with Elmer!

I had this problem with the elmers glue. I washed the project and all the glue washed out and I went back to my 505 spray. But I am going o try again.

You could try wetting the sandwich you already made to spread the glue out. Get it nice and wet and then press it; that might spread the glue enough that you could sew over it easily. Press straight down, don't sweep the iron over the fabric, so you don't mess up your alignment. Probably good idea to put a towel over & under it to pick up excess water.

Then again, I've FMQ'd through some pretty big blobs and my machine didn't seem to notice. You might want to just give it a shot as-is. :)

Like I've said before I had about an inch of glue left in my small Elmer's bottle. I thinned it
out and got enough to baste a whole quilt (77" x 77"). A little goes a long way. Good thing
you tried it on a sample. Now you know what to expect.

I'm a teacher and I've learned that with glue, a little bit of glue goes a looooooong way and you don't need much to make things stick. I teach my kids not to ever drizzle glue - that is flat way too much. To get a very thin line of glue, open the gap all the way (so you can easily squeeze the tube), touch the glue tip to the fabric at a little less than a 90 degree angle, and gently squeeze the tube to make a VERY thin line of glue. Keeping the tip of the glue to the fabric prevents using too much glue and keeps away clumping. I have 30 squares to glue baste today so I can quilt them. I used 1 tube of glue on the remaining 90 square. If would have used 2 tubes of glue on those 90 squares if I would have drizzled the glue. My mom felt the glued squares that were quilted and she said she couldn't feel the glue at all. Just remember to keep the glue tip on the fabric and make a very thin line of glue!

I don't have one of those special tips, but I've glue basted a couple things now. I did it the way an earlier poster did and held it up pretty high and squiggled the glue onto my quilt (my biggest was twin sized). I had a few globs, but had no problem quilting it in my machine and it all washed out when the quilt was done. I've also seen posts elsewhere on the board here where people have made their lines and then used a piece of cardboard or an old gift card to spread the glue out. Maybe that would help you.

i read on this board someone thins the glue then applies with a wide paint brush--i will try this next

I never thin the glue, use a brush, or worry about blobs....too much effort. I open the tip as far as it will go, holding the bottle about 12" up from the batting. Then I squeeze with both hands and go pretty fast across the fabric "trying" to get lines about 3" apart. It isn't an exact science....just washable school glue. Then I lay the fabric onto the batting and pat it down and let air dry....I do this on my pool table, so ironing dry isn't an option. I am a firm believer in not making things more difficult than absolutely necessary and this is so easy and fast. I fmq right through any hard spots or "blobs" with no problems. If you don't plan on washing the quilt when done, you might not like this method of basting. But I always wash when done quilting anyway, so it's perfect for me. Thinning and brushing on the glue seems like so much work and I can't imagine why you would go to so much effort. I am a student of the KISS method....keep it simple, silly!

Here's a tutorial I posted. This might help. http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ml#post6015629

Elmer's washable glue is one of the best things to happen for a quilter :):D! I also apply the glue with thinest lines possible across the top when I load on the batting and quilt top on top of the backing on the frame...being careful to keep that in the seam area. Then I can later hand sew the binding to the back without hitting the glue. If worse comes to worst, I can always soak the area a bit and let the glue dissolve. I will probably never do machine basting again, LOL.

I did thin mine about half and half with water. I still had a few stiff spots, but they all washed out easily.

Try using one of those sample credit cards or something similar to thin out the lines. Maybe that would help.

I have used Elmer's school glue several times and really like it. I thin it down by 25% so that it is easier to squeeze out. I just put down "dots" every 3 or 4 inches apart and smooth out. I have never experienced stiffness and the layers stay well fixed until I wash them out.

I've not tried it yet but everything I've read or seen says you should press it after you put the glue on. Did you do this?

I use a glue stick and it does not leave mine stiff. I really like it. Hope this helps

I do not thin the glue...I'm just too lazy. I just dot every 3-4 inches like I used to pin baste. It holds well. I only iron if I want to quilt it right away so it will dry faster. It is stiff where the glue is but I have had no problem sewing through it.

The pressing is only to dry the glue immediately. Leaving it to dry overnight works fine.

well....I'm going to keep trying some different techniques as suggested and try sister's tutorial. I prefer not to have the chemical 'additives' esp. if doing child quilt - but boy that 505 type spray is easy!
This will keep me occupied until I get my thread order and can get quilting!
thanks

Don't open the tip all the way. Comes out in a thinner stream.

I have seen "special thin tips" on other brands of glue, does anyone know where to get one of these???? I just tried the Elmers washable school glue on a small table topper and was very pleased with the results, but would like to have one of the thin tips to attach to the bottle. Thanks!

I found a set through Amazon and actually sold by Supermart on their site. It's Lowe Cornell 724, bottles and tips. There are two plastic bottles with caps and 4 metal tips, cost was about $7. You might find them at an art supply store also.

You did use too much glue, 3 inches apart isn't needed, unlike basting. Thin it a little, if you can hold bottle up high (the higher, the thinner the lines, LOL I am short but I think I'm going to stand on a chair), before smoothing fabric, smooth out any blobs, press with dry iron, I have a balcony so I hang it up til the next day to make sure it is dry (but that probably isn't necessary, just me). And Don't give up.

I used a kitchen spatula to kind of smooth it out. I just did a tablerunner (my first project free motion quilted and first glued project) and it worked really well. I'd done it once with binding and was happy with it, too. When my bottle is half empty, I'll add water.

If you hold the glue bottle as high as you can, the glue will be as thin as a hair when it gets to the batting. I write my name or other words in jumbo letters. It's fun! A workout for your arms too!

I did wiggly steams then used my hand to spread it out. It wasn't too stiff. Matter a fact I showed it to a group before I had finished quilting it and no one noticed that it was kinda stiff, I had to tell them. After it was finished and I washed it, all came out and it is beautiful. Love that Elmers glue.

I just tried gluing a test sample for the first time. Sandwich is a little stiff but my Brother Innovis 1250D sews right through very nicely. I'm counting on the stiffness going away after washing. I also wonder about thinning the glue sufficient to be sprayed using a household spray bottle from Ace or Walmart. It it still holds nicely after being thinned what a bargain that would be. Elmers is very inexpensive at Walmart so if thinning and spraying works it will make the method not only easier but more accessible and very, very inexpensive. Has anyone done it like that?

Did I mention that I would thin the glue with water and put it in the spray bottle? That is what I mean by thinning. Okay, has anyone tried this yet?

I have been going kaliscope blocks. I cut the part I want just alittle bit bigger. I put the pin in all eight layers to line them up. Then starting at the bottem put just a dap of glue working my way up. Heat set. Do this in as many spots as needed. Cutting eight layers is so easy and nice. Then when ready to sew pull them apart.

When I was a kid, mom taught us to control the amount of glue used by dipping one end of a toothpick into a small amount of glue and rubbing the toothpick on the item to be glued. Would that help anyone?

I believe Michael's sells screw-on tops for bottles and these have very tiny holes in them. Try them, maybe.

I just purchased the Lowe Cornell 724 bottles and tips from the Walmart site for $6.49 with tax and free pick up at the store.

I just used the bottle the glue came in. I didn't have to apply much pressure. I just opened the tip, held the bottle upside down and wiggled. It's the saying a little goes a long way. If it helps you get an idea how much to use, for a twin quilt, I used 1 bottle for the quilt top, and quilt backing both. Glued the quilt back on one day and a day later, glued the quilt top. No stress and very little mess.

I don't use any "speciaL" tips,or thin the glue down,as any water added will slow down drying time. I just hold up the bottle about 12 to 18 inches above and drizzle fast,making a grid. I use cotton batting always,but I have wondered about the poly batting absorbing too much glue.Anyone have any results with poly? Thank you to whoever tried this method the first time!!