Elmer's School Glue
 

I checked three different stores, in three different parts of town, and they were all out of Elmer's School Glue! Quilters, are we buying too much???

I found another brand of washable school glue, and I hope it works as well. But I am curious about the shortage of Elmer's School Glue

I would think that it's normal, most stores only stock up on it during back to school.

I think Kythcat is correct. It's all about timing. That said, have you checked out business supply stores like Staples? Or drugstores like Walgreen's? Or all-purpose stores like Target? Those are the places I can usually find school glue (and other school supplies) off-season.

If you're still unable to find school glue, there might be other options, depending on what you're trying to accomplish. Is there a glue-stick available that washes out as easily as school glue? An adhesive spray like 505 might meet your needs. A super-thick (100%?) solution of fabric starch might also work - but I've never tried this so don't know.

All that said, I'll bet the brand you purchased will work just fine!

Good luck!

I found that too. Looked for some today and bought the last tiny bottle I found. Shelves were empty.

Not sure where you are located but there is no shortage here. I get the my supply during the "Back-to-School" sales or I go to the Dollar Tree for their washable glue. My DD is a school teacher and she used to be able to get the Elmer's School glue for $.01 a bottle with other purchases, teachers were able to buy up to 30 bottles. That was nice, but they didn't need that much that year and it separated. Luckily we just shook the heck out of it which helped but now we just buy what we think we will use in a year.

You can always buy it online, too. We Americans are so lucky to have soooo many choices, the stores don't have room for everything on the shelves.

the world has changed.....and I might be old, but I am choosing to change with it. I am tired of trudging from store to store looking for common items like glue and trying to out guess why stores don't have it. When I do find it, I am "grateful" to pay what they are asking. More often than not, I am going home tired and empty handed. Now, I skip the day trip shopping, I stay home and order it on line from the best price of vendors who have it in stock and deliver to my door in 2-3 days. I use all that time I use to shop quilting. I am the happiest old lady around.... elmer's stick glue I bought about a month ago , I think it was a 60 pack, yes 60, for 1/2 price and free shipping. My hubby laughed, my wallet and I were happy. And...yes....back to quilting.....

I'm old enough to not worry about the future of online shopping good or bad. It suits me just fine now and available so that is what I do. Walmart here has a full shelf of Elmer's School glue.

I was recently searching for Elmer's School glue as well, and for some reason thought I had to have the blue stuff, which I couldn't find anywhere but online. After checking and realizing I could use the white, I found it at Staples and bought the generic for $1.99 each.

I definitely need to remember to buy it at school time.

Hasn't been in supermarkets or even some other craft stores. The tips for the bottles seem to have disappeared, too.
Amazon had them, now can't find. Only one quilting store.

I think they are changing to gel as it doesn't drip. That I have seen. Maybe preschool is getting tired of cleaning up after little kids. With overloaded classrooms in some cases, I don't blame them.

If the maker of Eileen's or Quilter's Choice would do something about new tips for bottles, --------

I resent having to buy more glue to get a new bottle which is what's available in LQS. I haven't used up all the old one before the tip buggered and no amount of hot water and soap can fix.

I did finally find some larger bottles, but no extra tips for those, either.

I know in August when they're having their school supply sales I stock up on Elmer's Glue as I use it to apply my bindings as well as when I need something to match up perfectly without using pins. Got a bottle of unwashable Elmer's Glue by accident so keep that separate from my regular stock. Use this one for when I want something to stick forever. I make my alphabet pins using straight pins with the yellow ball on one end and baby alphabet beads, stick them to the underside of my ironing board and drop some unwashable Elmer's glue down the little hole and let them dry. Works well when I need to keep my strips organized.

I believe as long the glue is washable it should work?

Test a generic washable glue to see it will work.

I bought a gallon of Elmer's School glue at Amazon, with Prime free shipping it's $13.95. I refill the small bottle as needed. It has lasted over a year so far. Another brand is $9.99 with $5.99 shipping. Most of the school book/supply stores has the gallon size.

When you stock up on the glue, store the bottles(opened or unopened) upside down. I'm not sure why it works but it
keeps the glue from getting thick or drying out.

To me, stores are stocking less and less in brick and mortar building...going to online inventory therefore more online shopping. Just my thoughts.

Funny...I feel the same thing about some purchases...what do I need a mattress that lasts twenty or thirty years anymore? I just want a comfortable one now....longetivity is not so much an issue. That's just me.

I order mine from Amazon.....it is $0.01 a bottle more than retail store, free shipping. So worth it for me.

I haven't found a shortage but haven't really looked either lately because I stock up on back to school sales. I found the washable glue at Dollar General to work just as well and I think it was $1 last time I looked. I found some in the clearance bin at Publix (grocery store) and bought at least 6 bottles there. I know my son got me some at Amazon when I put it on my Christmas list one year. Love glue basting!

I buy mine by the gallon online and use it to refill the small bottles.

Since I can't find the needle applying tops for the Elmer's bottles, think I'll pass on it.

Most of the stores I go to are promoting the gel.

You know they sell Elmer's in half and gallon size at some office supplies.....store in cool area, it comes with a pump so you can fill squeeze bottles.....made for teachers.

Isn't technology wonderful? I found a bottle of school glue out of place the other day, somebody had left it in the valentine cards section. I checked to see that they hadn't jacked up the price (I still refuse to pay too much for it) and bought it to add to my stash.

I buy a gallon from Amazon. Refill small bottles as needed, last a LONG time.

I needed some this week and the Dollar Tree had none of any kind and the Kmart next door had one lonely tiny bottle of Elmers Washable School Glue for $1.39 which I bought since I figured my time and gas are worth something to try and drive around and find it cheaper. Anyway, if I were going to stock up from either Amazon or if I run into it locally, should I go for the gallon size or smaller bottles? I am not that prolific re producing quilts. Will it go bad? Is it easy enough to get it into the smaller bottles without wasting or making a huge washable mess? It usually takes me one small bottle to glue baste one of my quilts. I don't normally make huge ones, more in the lap size. I don't dilute and paint or spray on, just drizzle it in a kind of grid.

If the tip to my bottle gets clogged, I take a needle or straight pin and gouge it out, problem solved.

Tried that. It tends to clog on the bottom of the tip not the top. You have to take the top off. I've had a heavier pin pull the needle out of the top. I've soaked them in hot water, too. I can't find a nail skinny enough. My quilting pins bend.

I don't use them enough. I do one article at a time. If it takes me 6 months to finish, it takes 6 months. The glue just sits all that time. I bought the one big bottle of the quilt glue 5 years ago and it isn't empty yet.

I have no problem finding Elmer's glue at Walgreen's.

I bought 2 gallon jugs from Amazon a couple of years ago, can't remember the price but it was much cheaper than buying dozens of the little bottle & still have some left. I just looked at Amazon, no bargain prices but it was there, all in the $20 plus range. Then I looked at Walmart.com, they have a gallon for $13.95, don't know what shipping would be but if you have a Walmart near you you can have it shipped to store at no shipping charge to you.

I'm just reading this thread after searching Walmart for glue this afternoon. They only had 1 bottle of Elmers, but cases of the Crazyart glue. Didn't realize quilters used so much glue!

Our Target and Walmart seem to have their best glue sales in July rather than August, so I try to shop then. I buy the glue sticks and the bottles. I ordered a dozen bottles from Amazon a year ago and they sent me the permanent not the washable and the seller would not take it back (even though I double checked my order and I had ordered washable) so I have been afraid to order it again.

Has anyone used the blue gel version -- does it stain?

http://people.com/home/heres-why-sto...iy-slime/Maybe this explains shortage. I know granddaughter and her friends use a lot of it for their slime

Dollar tree has these great 5 pack Elmer's glue pens for $1! They work great and wash out nicely.

Sadly the ones in my area don't!

Needle top
 

You don't really need the needle tip. Open the regular top just enough for a tiny thread of glue to come out. Then you
squeeze to make the dots of glue.