Glue Basters- which batting?
 

I'm wondering about this. Maybe I'm not using enough glue? (I use Elmer's washable ).
I use mostly cotton batting and wonder what I'm doing wrong. I seem to end up pinning anyway. Not holding well enough with glue.
Thanks!

I love W&N when glue basting. I have also used poly batting successfully. I run an even stream of glue every 4" or so. Often it will separate into small beads but that seems to be ok. I don't go backwards. I just keep going nice and even. Then press that side and flip to the front. I don't seem to have any issues and get a good hold if it is pressed nice and dry. More can be added to the edges if necessary. I space it as if I were quilting 4" apart. Staying nice and steady is most important to me.

A quick touch with a dry, hot iron helps as well. It sets the glue nicely. To avoid glue on your iron, press using parchment or freezer paper.

I drizzle in a grid pattern and don't feel it needs spreading except at the edges or if I overdo an area. I work approx. a third of the length and the whole width at a time. Like you, I use Elmer's washable school glue.

I have basted dozens of quilts using Elmer's School Glue and a carpenter's glue roller. I've used this method with wool, polyester, and cotton battings. In the past I had tried spraying, drizzling the glue, and even dabbing with a small paint brush, but was sometimes left with globs of glue in spots. Since switching to the carpenter's glue roller, I don't have globs of glue built up and I never have creases or folds in any of my basted quilts.

I have glue basted a lot of quilts. I mostly use cotton batting. I sit the bottle in a bowl of hot water to make it flow. Then I drizzle it on in a way to mimic the spacing of pin basting. I might do a grid or a meander. I don’t do anything else - if I get a glob I smooth with my finger. Once one side is done I flip
over and do other side. I usually leave it to dry. I’ve never pressed to dry. I’m never in that much of a hurry. It has been a game changer for me. And the quilt is lighter and easier to maneuver with no pins

I water down my glue to about 70% glue to 30% water which makes it flow well enough if I open the tip to fully open. I drizzle in a wide zigzag with about 3-4in between the lines and I make sure to do a line completely around the edges of the quilt and of the area I'm gluing. So basically, a big rectangle with zigzags inside! Then, I use a spackle spreader ($1 at Walmart) to spread out the glue lines some because I figure it helps glue down more area and the spread out glue doesn't make hard little lumps. I always make sure to drizzle the glue on the batting instead of the fabric because I find the glue bonds better that way.

Normally, I have the batting on the bottom and the fabric (top or backing) that I'm trying to glue laying on top of the batting. In the picture, I have it backwards but I was trying to make sure the batting lined up perfectly with the notebook cover fabric so that's why I have it this way :)

Oh rats, I'm sorry Susie. I just reread your post and duh, I didn't answer your question at all!

I've glue basted Warm & Natural, Warm & Plush, Hobbs Heirloom cotton, Fairfield 80/20, and one double-batted quilt that was Warm & Plush and Hobbs PolyDown. All of those batts were fine individually but as someone else warned me when I asked about glue basting a double batt, the full polyester battings are harder to glue. I went really heavy on the glue with the PolyDown plus I pinned about every 6 inches and it was still a little beastly to quilt but I loved the results.

How are you doing your glue and are you watering it down?

I found if I didn't water it down (first few times I used it) and didn't spread it out, I would get hard little lumps that were definitely more difficult to wash out later (we have a top loader) and there was obviously more areas that weren't secured.

Sephie, No problem! I appreciate both your posts.
My cousin's quilt ended up basting quite well with 80/20 batting.
Thanks, everyone!

Glue roller!! What a good idea. Thanks.