I think some of you are making the Elmer's School Glue basting a lot harder, than it has to be. It doesn't have to be evenly distributed, over the entire surface . . . and any small blobs will settle, when you smooth the top/backing to the batting. The dried glue is a bit firm but shouldn't be hard/dense enough, to disturb a machine needle. I've never had any trouble, sewing right through it.

You ladies have convinced me that I have got to try this...I have been using the spray adhesive, but it sure makes a mess for the table top to get scrubbed (I have a glass cover on my dining room table and that is where I do the spray and sandwiching part).......this glue sounds like it would be a better thing to use....that adhesive spray isnt cheap either, even at Walmart............thanks to all of you for helping the rest of us understand how to use the glue......

I've also been convinced to give this a try. My top is now laid out to dry. So far so good!

I used part of Sharon Schamber's basting technique, though. I wrapped the back and the top each around a plank (about 3/4" by 3.5"), to help me keep them straight and not have fabric flopping all over. But, in her method, you wrap the backing onto the plank right side out, and the top wrong side out. I did both mine wrong side out. Then I laid the batting on the table. I got my backing board in position and glued under the edge. THen I put the glue on the batting ahead of my board, about 8 inches at a time, and unrolled the backing on the glue and smoothed it. Repeated that in sections until I got to the end. Then I turned the whole thing over and repeated the process with the top. THe boards worked great! My top is 52" and the backing about 60", so I was able to do this process on my dining table, which is so much nicer than being on the floor!

If the process of machine quilting isn't negatively affected by the glue, I think I've got myself a much better way to baste. Thanks to all for the discussion here.

Can't wait to try this on my next project! Only thing I wonder about is how forgiving it is with that tiny bit that the quilt sometimes scrunches up while FMQ-ing. Still, seems a whole lot better than having to pin and unpin. :D Thanks a bunch for the suggestion!

I had a little "bulge" on the back as I approached a FMQ area (my sandwich was completely dry at this point). I was able to gently pull the backing away from the batting and reposition everything. The pulling did pull a tiny layer of batting with it, but it's nothing noticeable. Luckily the bulgy part was closer to the edge than the middle.

I'm sorry but not all washable glues work! I bought some washable glue from the dollar store and it dried so crunchy and gummed up my needle. So for me I'm sticking to Elmer's School glue. As previously mentioned now is the time to buy it!

Ok. Decided to give this a try. My conclusion is that I prefer my spray baste to glue. I sandwiched my quilt on the floor. Even though I stood above the quilt and lightly drizzled glue on the backing, I didn't know until I went to pick it up, despite how lightly I applied the glue, it went through the fabric. So I will stick to my spray adhesive. I use my tempurpedic mattress to sandwhich on and I can't afford to get glue going through the fabric and if I'm careful with spray basting I don't have to worry about overspray. And by sandwiching on my mattress, it saves my back.

I also used her videos to get started with gluing.
I will ALWAYS baste with glue now, and use it for adding the binding too. (which she shows)
I can't remember if it was her or not, but somewhere I learned to add a third of the batting at a time, which made FMQ the center MUCH easier.

I bought a gallon of Elmer's on Amazon - I love glue basting but I've been having some problems with my tendons in my arm lately & squeezing a bottle just aggravates it more. So now what I do is I slosh a little bit of water into my bowl, dump in some Elmer's (I do roughly 3 parts glue to 1 part water, but it's all just eyeballed) and then I stir it up and paint it on with a 3-inch wide house paint type paintbrush. I do arced lines (sort of like baptist fan) and just sort of wing it, I don't cover 100% and I don't really have a formula. I paint onto the batting and then smooth the backing down, iron it to set the glue, flip and repeat.

I've also screwed up and had my backing on seriously crooked; I just sprayed everything down with water until the glue released, peeled it up and then stuck it back down. Got glue all over my arms and my tee-shirt doing it, but it's washable so no lingering woe. :)

Elmer's spray is an adhesive. It dries permanently. : http://elmers.com/product/detail/E451

I have never found Elmer's School Glue in a spray. Who in their right minds would give a classroom of kids each a spray container of glue? LOL

I always drizzle the glue onto the batting, the pat down the fabric onto the batting....the glue won't go thru the batting and I can be 100 percent positive that there are no wrinkles or tucks because I can see what the fabric is doing.

I haven't came across Elmer's "Spray Glue", do you make it or is it store bought. I'm disabled & don't get out much. Almost all of my purchases are done online, so I'm interested in this "spay glue". Thanks a bunch for any help on this matter.
Jeri

I use school glue stick for narrow hems or basting 2pieces together. Dab, stick together, iron then sew works better than pins in tight or small places.

Too thick maybe. Mine was slightly stiff as though well starched, but not hard. A very thin drizzle and then smooth it around.

You really want to use glue that is water soluble so it will dissolve and disappear when the quilt is washed. There are several types of Elmer's spray glue on Amazon, but most people don't use it because most (perhaps all?) of the types are not water soluble. Some people dilute Elmer's washable school glue with water so they can use a spray bottle to apply it, but I think it is easier to dilute the glue and then use a mini paint tray and foam roller to apply the glue.

Wow, every time I read this Board I learn something new....Must run out and buy a whole bunch of Elmer's glue...Thanks for the great tip.

Elmer's School Glue-don't forget the "School". :o

Oh Lordy! Once the glue company learns about this, they will jack the price up sky high! LOL! Plus make the amounts less, so you pay more for less. Sorry, but there has to be ONE pessimist here to balance the board out! I will also be trying this method of sandwiching!