Elmer's Glue - Thank You!
 

Thanks to everyone who has ever posted about Elmer's Washable School Glue for quilting. I used it for the first time yesterday when starting the Missouri Star Quilt Company table runner, "Moda Candies Zig Zag Runner." Why didn't I try this sooner? It's wonderful! I have all the 2 1/2" blocks glued down and now only have to stitch them into place. Also, thanks to Olfa for making a pinking blade for my rotary cutter! Visions of cutting all those tiny blocks with my mom's old pinking shears made my hand hurt before I started. I bought an Olfa pinking blade at Michael's, 40% off thank you, and tried it not expecting much. Wow! I haven't had that much fun on a Saturday in a long time. I Olfa pinking cut and Elmer's glued and had a ball! Will post photos when it's done.

That school glue is pretty liberating, right?! And to think that QB invented a new verb...elmering!

Yep, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I learned about the glue. Fabulous product!

Hmmm...I really should go on the hunt for washable glue around here...:D

About 20 years ago I used Elmer's glue to match some horrible seams in a few quilt blocks. When I joined my guild the older members thought I had lost my mind when I told one of them to glue it and then sew. I was told 'that is not the way it is done'. When we had a block exchange I was left out because the old biddies thought I'd use glue and ruin the blocks. LOL

Noobie here, exactly how is Elmers glue used in quilting?glueQUOTE=Onebyone;6858050]About 20 years ago I used Elmer's glue to match some horrible seams in a few quilt blocks. When I joined my guild the older members thought I had lost my mind when I told one of them to glue it and then sew. I was told 'that is not the way it is done'. When we had a block exchange I was left out because the old biddies thought I'd use glue and ruin the blocks. LOL[/QUOTE]

I will not baste a quilt any other way than Elmer's now. I still think we need to have stock in the company.

I also love Elmers. I use it mostly for my bindings. No need to clips when either hand or machine finishing. I also just used it for a pattern that had many, many seams on each rows. Wow, all the sashing matched perfectly. Wish I knew about this before.

For those who don't know what we are talking about when referring to basting with Elmer's washable glue here is how I do it. There are also other methods.

I lay my quilt bat down first and then the back over it. I fold back the backing and put a thin stream of glue (I hold the bottle quite high off the batting to get a thin stream) in a zig zag pattern on the batting. I then fold my backing over the glued part and smooth it out with my hands. I let that dry for a few hours (or if in a hurry can be set with a dry iron). I then move the batting and back to a new position and repeat the process. When I'm done with the back I flip the batting and backing over and repeat the process for the front. No wrinkles and by putting the glue on the batting it doesn't seep through the fabric.

When I'm done quilting I bind my quilt by machine stitching it to the front and then using a thin stream or dots of glue on the binding to hold it in place and hand sew it to the back. I then wash my quilt in warm water to get the glue out. Cold water does not work for me. I would not baste any other way!

citruscountryquilter and keelyer21 You don't have to wait for the glue to dry. I checked the Elmer's site and they said to use a small amount, place next piece over glued piece and iron with a hot iron and it dries and sticks instantly. No problem sewing over it - no residue on needle.