Elmer's Glue
 

FYI-I picked up several bottles of this Elmer's clear washable glue really cheap at Walmart's back to school sale. I wanted to see if I could use it in a spray bottle to baste a small lap quilt. I diluted it 3/1 but it was still to thick for a fine spray so I decided to roll it on instead. I picked up a cheap tray and roller from the $1 store and rolled the diluted glue on the batting. I smoothed out the fabric and hung the quilt out on the line to dry.
When I brought it in there were some spots that showed through on my solids but the patterned fabric was fine. The glue made the fabric feel like it was heavily starched. I was a bit worried about the quilt being soft and cuddly after quilting.
The quilting went really well and I threw it in my washer with a bit of tide and did a 6 minute wash cycle and a few minutes in the dryer. It came out just lovely, soft and cuddly and I can no longer see the bleed through glue spots on the solids. This is what I used....[ATTACH=CONFIG]531665[/ATTACH]

I am just too chicken with trying to use Elmer's washable glue to baste my quilt.

Washable glue washes out, it's not really a glue, just dries stuck to whatever it's on. I don't spend much time glue basting. I squeeze out squiggle lines on the batting and smooth the quilt top to the batting. I haven't used anything but glue for basting in over five years. I use it for applique now too, no need to fuse if I'm stitching around it. Once dry the applique isn't going to move or pucker.

That's why I tried it on a small lap quilt. I figured if I totally ruined it, the cat wouldn't mind sleeping on it. :D

That's funny! Kids eat the stuff so it's not toxic and how can it mess up a quilt?

Ha ha! Thanks so much for sharing your experience--I too have not yet tried glue basting. I love 505, but it is so costly!!!

what exactly scares you about it? You can try on a scrap square. I don't roll it on - just drizzle. It replaces pin basting for me - not spray basting. I'll never go back to spray, pins, or thread basting.

I am also a convert to glue basting! I just squeeze out a thin line in a back and forth motion, 3-4 inches apart. It doesn't have to be thick and solid. I agree it is stiff when it first dries, and sometimes it shows through some, but it really does all wash out. The stiffness is the only thing that bothers me a little. On my last quilt the backing was a stiff over-dyed black, and I made the mistake of starching the backing before applying. Wow, was that combination stiff! It washed up cuddly and soft though, and I threw the leftovers of the backing away.

I just used Elmer's washable glue on my quilt for my grandson that has large AF jets on it to hold it in place. It was stiff but washed out beautifully. n

I have been using spray glue for 20 years with no problem. As long as its washable. Before the Elmer's spray glue that I use now, I was using spray glue from the automotive department at Walmart. I haven't bought any from there in a long time, but back then it was 3.98 for the large can. I'll check the next time I go to Walmart. lol I spray glue my quilts and also use a few pin. On my embroidery work I use the washable glue sticks from Dollar Tree to hold the material in place. I have not hooped any material in years, I only hoop the sticky back window film that I use. Sylvia