If this works- I'm hooked (or glued)
 

After all the posts about basting with Elmer's school glue, I gave it a try today. Wow, I was done in no time- less than half an hour to baste a twin sized quilt. It is drying as I type this, then on to FMQ- keep your fingers crossed! Pins would have taken much longer and I would have sore fingers too.

I just finished a double quilt that I basted with Elmer's it worked wonderfully.

I'm giving a demo of using Elmer's to baste at the community quilt class I teach once a month. It's cheap, fast and no puckers or pleats in the back. It's the only way I baste now.

I love it, drizzled straight from the bottle. Can't see myself going back to the other methods.

i don't what took me so long to jump on the bandwagon... i tried it last month for the first time and just love it

I also use the glue and the last 5 quilts I have done have not killed my back. It is so easy and quick never going back to pinning.

I have used the stick glue for matching seams and once I use up the basting spray I am going to try it. The stick glue and the wonder clips works so great, the glue is dry by the time I start sewing it and it works so much better.

Wow!! I am an Elmer's glue convert for binding, but have never tried it for sandwiching a quilt. Do y'all dilute the Elmer's glue and then either squeeze it on (how close) or spray it on. I'm ready to try this, but still need a few answers....................

Many of us just drizzle it on straight from the bottle in sort of an imperfect grid. Some like to dilute and spray or paint on. I just drizzle on. Do a search on it in our search function. You can see a lot of responses

I guess I am just too old for these new tricks but I could NEVER imagine using Elmer's white glue on one of my quilts. SORRY !!!

For those of you that use glue to baste your quilts together, do you heat set as well?

Not normally for me because I'm not usually in a hurry. I've done it once or twice to see what happens. Dries faster

I'm assuming then that you wash it before you give it away, right?

I always wash my quilts before I give them away or use them.

I am giving a demo on glue basting to my quilt guild this week. It's all I ever do anymore. Love it for the bindings too as no pins to stick me or catch on my thread as I'm hand stitching the binding to the back. I use the glue straight from the bottle in a fine stream and zig zag pattern to sandwich. For my bindings I use the end of an orange stick (like you use for manicures) to dab a little glue on the edge before I roll the binding to the back. I heat set my bindings so they stick right away. For the sandwich I just let it dry. I saw washable glue at Dollar General 2 bottles for $1 their brand and Elmers for $1 bottle. Can't beat how economical it is either.

I am curious...how do you apply the glue? On top of the batting, or what? Do you smooth it out (spread glue with fingers) after putting the top onto the sandwich, or let it dry as is?
I bought a bottle of Elmer's school glue that said washable. It is clear, not white. Hope it is the right kind.

I heat set them just because I want to be able to smooth out all the potential puckers, and it dries faster. I love using Glue to baste. I was unhappy with the quilts I pin based because I would end up with puckers and the top and backing would slip around. Now, the quilts don't move and they turn out perfect. I hand quilt my quilts and the glue doesn't make it anymore difficult.

If you do ever decide to try it, make sure you use the Elmer's SCHOOL glue. It'll wash right out, whereas the regular white glue will not. :)

I wouldn't use regular Elmer's white glue either--it doesn't wash out. We are all talking about Elmer's WASHABLE SCHOOL GLUE. It doesn't matter if it's white, clear, blue, or whatever color. Just as long as it is washable school glue. In fact, I use a non-Elmer's brand of washable school glue I get for 34 cents per bottle at a big box retailer. Works just like Elmers. I wouldn't baste a quilt with anything else.

I start by drizzling it on about the top 1/4 of the batting. I hold the glue bottle about 2 feet above the batting and move quickly across the fabric first in one direction, then perpendicular to the first. If there are any glue clumps, not thin lines, I spread them out with my finger. I then place the backing on the glue and rub the fabric to make it flat. Once I'm convinced the fabric is flat, I'll run a dry hot iron over the fabric starting in the center and working out to the edges to set the glue. I set the glue because as I move the fabric around, I don't want anything slipping. I then continue to glue down the backing. I repeat the process for the top the same way. When I'm finished, the quilt is securely sandwiched together and I can start hand quilting it.

I dilute at least by half. It comes out easier that way.
I have used my queen bed to do this. Lay it all out and find the middle of back, batt, and top. Put a few big safety pins on that line. I lift the top layer so that about one quarter of the batt is showing and very quickly swish thin lines of glue on. (I've put it on the batt, and I've put it on the fabric. Both worked.) I run my finger over all the glue lines. Then I smooth that top layer down onto the glued portion (or the glued portion onto the batt). I have my iron plugged in near the bed, and press wherever I think there is glue. Move the sandwich to the next section and do that part. That's where the pins are needed. Spread it out again, lift that section and glue, finger spread, smooth that section down and iron. When all four sections of that layer are finished and ironed dry, turn the whole thing over and do the other side the same way. I can get a queen size quilt done in about an hour.
The last one I did in church on four of their big banquet table. That worked, too.

You would be amazed. I tried it on a dog scrap quilt about 36"x36" and put a binder on with the glue. I did a grid on it and quilted opposite of the grid. Turned out really good. Didn't get a photo(:{) Glue comes out in the wash. You want to use Elmer's "Washable" Glue. Try it on a test fabric.

I use a big old spatula to spread if need be.

I'm just now trying this too-just did a lap quilt and now I just need a new chair so I can quilt it. I hope it works! I felt most comfortable holding the tip of the glue on the batting and then just slightly squeezing and moving it in the zig zag pattern. I didn't feel like I had enough control holding it above. I just have to wipe the batting residue off the tip every few rows. I ordered some tips but honestly don't know if I'll need them-I didn't have any trouble using the tip that was already on the glue bottle.

I would like to find some colored school glue though. The white was impossible to see on the batting so it was hard to see how much I had applied.

I just used glue basting for the first time on a mini quilt and I loved it.

Thank you so much! Just what i needed to know. I have been making tops since my hubby passed away to give me something worthwhile to do. But was stumped as to how to make the quilt sandwich. I have about 7 or 8 tops just waiting to be quilted. They are all about throw size to lap size, (approx. 50-60"wide and 60-65" long), for giving to family members.

Quilting is good therapy. When my mother passed, I started making Quillows (remember those?) and I made 21 of those before I stopped.
PS...I have always basted with needle and thread in the past, so now you all make glue basting seem to be the way to go. Thanks again!

I bought the glue but haven't tried it yet. I'm going to give it a go now. This will be so much cheaper than the fusible I've been buying.

I haven't done this yet, I think i'll try it soon. have a few quilts that need basting. have a big roll of batting in the backseat of my car waiting to finish things.

I use Elmers also and I don't have to have my DH help so much. It is much better and I use it for the binding also.