I doubt I'll ever use pins again
 

Glue basting is where it's at!!!

It's so much FASTER, for both patchwork and long borders. And the ACCURACY. The fabric doesn't shift AT ALL. No stupid little puckers, no having to 'ease in' any fabric. No having to fiddle with the end of the seam that usually veers off the 1/4 inch. It's easy to reposition if you need to. And no getting stabbed on my fingers and cuticles.

I sewed the top (twin size) very quickly using the glue. And I just finished glue basting the sandwich, but my hands are aching so much from squeezing that bottle. I'm going to pick up a carpenter's glue roller tomorrow.

What kind of glue are you using? Is it washing out of the quilt easily after you're done?

It's just Elmer's Washable School Glue - it MUST be the washable kind. It washes out very easily.

For patchwork seams, just use a few tiny dots across the seam then press with an iron for a few seconds to dry.

For basting the sandwich, you have to let it dry overnight because there's a lot more glue. There are a bunch of tutorials out there, I just googled and watched a few of them to get the hang of it.

Thanks!! I am going to have to try this.

When glue basting a quilt sandwich, I just iron mine so it dries quickly. I’ve done up to a twin size but not larger so far. I also slightly thin down the glue with water and use a 3” chip brush to lightly apply the glue. Chip brushes are inexpensive and thin so they don’t hold a large amount of glue unless you soak the brush. I don’t use glue for the sewing portion but seldom use pins unless matching seams. And sometimes not even then. If that makes me a rebel, so be it. LOL

I like the chip brush idea, I can get them super cheap at the dollar store :) Do they work better applying the glue on the back of the quilt top, or on the batting? And how much do you thin it down, roughly? Like 50/50 or less water than that?

I've had no luck with Elmer's...it's very frustrating, I made two throws with it, drizzled very fine lines, make sure it was super smooth, let it dry, still had shifting and tucks, not sure what I did wrong

I don’t measure so it’s a rough guess on the thinning. Maybe 70 glue/30 water. I find putting the glue on the batting works best. I try to use enough thinly spread so it doesn’t come thru to the top fabric so I can use the iron to dry the glue quickly. If the glue comes thru to the top layer it gets on the iron. Easy to clean off but still a mess. I cover the batting with glue in small sections then place backing or top over that section and iron, then move to the next section and repeat. Once one side is done, turn over to the other side and repeat the process. Those chip brushes are usually cost a dollar or less and I just was the glue out and use it again. The brush I’m using is a least three years old so you don’t need to buy more than one.

I tried it this way with the same success that you had. Thinning the glue and using a chip brush to completely cover the batting with a thin layer of glue made all the difference. I’ve not had any puckers or tucks. It’s similar to using a spray like 505 but with no aerosol and less expense.

I've been using Elmer's Glue to attach my binding on the quilt before stitching it down on the backside and then bringing it to the front side, then I use those clips but I haven't used pins in a number of years. I also use the glue when I'm trying to make sure I'm matching the seams correctly as the glued section won't shift as it can with pins. Glue is my friend and I stock up every Fall when the school supplies come out on sale.

Glue is a staple in my quilting room. I've been using school glue for years since I had a class with Sharon Schamber. Elmers school glue is not a glue, it is a heavy starch. It's safe for fabric ( even kid's stomachs) it is easy to dilute. I buy it by the gallon. I use a carpenter's glue roller. I baste my quilts before putting them on the frame. I don't have to do all that tedious loading and measuring. Basting with the glue takes me no time at all. Once the glue is dry from basting I press the quilt front and back with steam to make the the quilt soft. If I'm in a hurry I press it dry no steam. I glue baste my binding in place after sewing it to one side using a small art paint brush.

Pool noodles and Elmer's school are staples in my sewing room.

I love glue basting! It's also good for blocks when you need to get seams to line up. Just a dot and the iron and you're all set.

I have been using Elmer's washable school glue to baste quilts for years. I tried the watered down brush thing but found it cumbersome and not necessary. I read somewhere that glue basting replaces pin basting, not spray basting so it doesn't have to be on every inch of the quilt. I have done as big as queen size. I don't understand why it doesn't work for some people. Maybe not smoothing it out enough? It is positionable for a while so I just keep smoothing out. I just don't have any problems with it. It has always washed out for me. I don't use it for bindings because I don't need to. I am pretty good at bindings.

I'm in the middle of quilting my glue basted quilt. Currently taking a break. I used the drizzle method - and boy do I REGRET IT. Next time I'll use a brush to laminate instead of drizzling. There's puckering and bubbling. And yes, I did smooth it out very well and even ironed it afterwards. I drizzled the lines very close together and overlapped them and I'm still having problems. At least this is just a utility quilt.

For anyone who wants to try glue basting, please try @Lena1952 's method instead.

I like to glue every inch of the quilt sandwich so I know nothing is going to move one smidge. I want it to be like quilting on paper. I never have the slightest pucker or puffness. I don't dilute it. It works great for me so until something else works better it will be glue basting for me.

maybe you are using too much glue. I don't understand why some of us have problems and some don't. I am only relatively proficient at any of it. Sometimes when the sandwich is drying it looks puckered but when quilting it isn't.

FYI, Elmer’s Washable School Glue comes in a gallon size. Much cheaper than buying small bottles. I think I bought mine at Office Max or Staples.

After drying, steam press the basted quilt. It will soften the glue and spread it out more and get rid of the puckering, bubbles, and wrinkles.

I've been using glue for binding for several years. I bought a bottle of Roxanne Glue baste with the metal tip just for this purpose. I press the binding where I want it to go, then run a thin line of glue on the seam part of the binding (away from the binding edge), pull binding into place and press to dry. I use a pin to place corners the way I want them, press, then glue and press again to dry. I machine sew 99% of my bindings and haven't use clips in years. Once the binding is glued, you are able to machine sew the binding without stopping to remove clips or pins. Although I don't think it saves time, I do find it easier. I have also used glue to hand bind my quilts. Please don't subscribe to the " More is Better idea. "A thin line of glue in the seam and away from the binding edge is necessary or you will have a difficult time getting your needle through the fabric.

I use glue when I'm sewing bias pieces together. Pieces match without effort and no bias stretching. The only problem is when I've sewed pieces together that don't belong to each other. They're a little harder to take apart.

wow the comments about diluting and lightly coating the batting are really interesting! maybe after the holidays I'll make another throw with the diluting method and try again :)

I use Elmer's School Glue to baste. I put the bottle of glue in a bowl with hot water for a few minutes. That thins the glue out. I use a tip with a small hole, and it the glue comes out like a spider web.

I usually spray baste with 505 but I have glue basted too. I used my basting pins for counting stitches when I crochet. lol