I am attempting to do my first 'stained glass' iris pattern, and I do use a glue stick for the lead line. It doesn't seem to hinder anything, nothing seems to gob up or get into the machine. Just a little goes a long way to make things easier.

Sharon Schamber is the queen of glue basting. I met her in Paducah and she is so generous with her quilting tips and methods. Her website is full of free videos of how she does her fantastic work. Her paid videos are wonderful and like being in a classroom with her. She uses a Tin Lizzy and a Juki to do her amazing work.

I use glue sticks, any cheap acid free..but I usually hand applique and quilt. I am only just venturing into machine work, but as the glue I use is totally water based and not too gluey I am going to give it a go. I am sparing with it though.

I only use glue for my hand sewed Grandmothers Flower Garden.

took a class with Penny Haren, she uses water soluble glue sticks to do appliqued patchwork. It worked great and her quilts are beautiful. Washes right out. Don't use the colored glue!!

Just regular glue sticks in craft department? Does it wash out??? Does it make fabric stiff..I have been using wonder under but this might be quicker and cheaper?

I always had a problem when sewing long strips together for either a strip pieced project or even for four or nine patches. They always seemed to come out wonky. Very frustrating! Then I tried using Elmer's school glue. I put it in a small plastic bottle, added a very fine .5 metal tip (that I bought at the local art store) and just added a thin bead all along the very edge of the fabric, pressed (up and down) not ironed (back and forth) with a hot iron, and WOW what a difference! Perfect seams. No distortion at all. Being skeptical I tried a sample first to see if it would wash out and it did! I made 20 table runners for a wedding using it and was really happy with the results since the bride wants a quilt out of the strips from the runners. Just remember not to get the glue in the area where you want to sew. Once it is dried it can sometimes be a little difficult to sew through. I haven't tried the glue sticks yet for my applique but I bought a dozen in a package at WalMart at the beginning of the school year and have them waiting patiently in the lettuce bin of my fridge. (Husband couldn't figure that one out.)

For those of you using Roxanne's glue. It is Elmer's glue (water based) The glue is not worth the price, however, the tip is.
The metal tip is great, but they do not seem to sell it by itself.

I use Sharon's method. No problem with my machines.
D in TX

I'm working on some hexagon pcs (don't know if it will ever turn into a "garden"). Do you use it after the paper is removed? or?? (just wondering because a couple of the fabrics ravel easily).

I got 2 tips and 2 small empty bottles in a pack at Michaels for about $4 with a coupon. They were in the aisle with the acrylic paints.