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I think I'll have to try this method. I use glue sticks for lots of other things, just never really thought to use for sewing. Thanks for the information.

Great idea! I want to try this!

Quote:

Originally Posted by girlsfour (Post 5096110)

I work pt at a fabric store & a customer told me about using Elmers School Glue (has to be the school glue) instead of pinning. When she initially tried it (she was skeptical of this), she immediately liked this method better than pinning. She said it made it so easy to be perfectly accurate.

She bought a special tip that goes on the glue bottle to ensure a thin line. Runs the line of glue inside of the 1/4" seam allowance towards the raw edge of fabric, then goes over it with her iron to hold it. She said the school has cornstarch in it and it completely water soluble so if you want to remove the glue, just wet it a little bit. She said there is absolutely no shifting of fabric and her seams match perfectly.

Has/does anyone done this? I am going to try it out next time I am working on a quilt.

My sister in law did this this weekend because I saw a u tube on it /may have been posted on this site. It worked GREAT! I can't wait to do it myself. I couldn't find the fine tip so I bought a pkg of three little bottles with metal tips at Hobby Lobby and they work great.

I use the school glue all the time. Great for binding, esp. curves. I also use it for mitered corners. Be sure to heat set it with your iron.

Took a work shop on Judy Niemeyer's technique on paper piecing and it uses glue sticks and I am so in love. Penny Haren also uses glue sticks on her pieced applique which is so much fun. Try it. My new favorite quilting tool. I love the glue sticks because it's not as wet as the liquid and applies very easily.
Robin in TX

I buy the fabric applique basting glue (which is heavy starch) in bottles with very long thin nozzles. When the bottle is empty, I refill it with Elmer's School Glue. The long thin nozzles are much better then the small tips for putting down a tiny drop of glue or a long very thin line. I can find the empty bottles online but may as well buy one filled with good basting glue and reuse it.

I bought some water SOBO glue to try this method too, I can not wait to try it, and thanks for the directions because I had forgotten...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mom-6 (Post 5096903)

So which works better, the liquid glue or the glue stick?

Yes. Depends on you - with glue sticks you can sew immediately and with liquid you have to either iron or wait until it dries. I use both for applique. Sure beats pinning.

I also have trouble keeping the little tips from clogging. Last time I just used the Elmer's bottle and made little dots and then ironed - worked like a charm.

I am using glue stick for putting together my trip around the world quilt and it is working great. it makes it so much eaiser to match the blocks up. I have never tried liquid glue but I am sure I will in the future. I just let it air dry a bit then I sew. I havent tried an iron to heat set it so I dont know about that.

You can press the Elmer's School glue and it dries instantly.