Elmer's Glue Spray Basting Revisited
 

Hi All, I found the old thread on spray basting with Elmer's glue and read through it. It didn't really have any of the answers to a couple of questions I have so I thought I would revisit this.
1. How do you keep it from coming out of the spray bottle in a stream? When I tried at test block after making the mixture (50% glue, %50 H2O and a few drops of dish soap) and had the nozzle on spray, it came out in a stream.
2. Should I add isopropyl alcohol or more water to make it thinner?
3. Do you heat set after spraying? I am doing a very large quilt and don't want it to take days just to baste it. I am also using polyester batting so I know I need a cool iron.

Thanks,
Shari

Hi Shari,
For what it's worth, I don't spray my Elmer's Glue but brush it on with a basting brush. Yes, you can thin it 50/50 with water. Perhaps someone else could tell you if using alcohol to thin it might also make it dry faster. And yes, I know others do iron it to heat dry, though I don't do that. I find if I let it sit spread out on our tile floor 24 hours on one side, then flip it and dry the other side approximately another 24 hours, it's good to go. One thing I would suggest is that you brush -- or spray -- lightly. It will stick better than you may think, once it's dry. I found I could brush a few areas, about the distance apart that one would pin baste, and it works fine. This is my favorite way of basting and I have had nary a pucker or wrinkle in a quilt since I began using this method.

I get the small bottles and drizzle it on in a sort of grid pattern. I use it to replace pin basting not spray basting and for me it doesn't need to cover every inch of the quilt. If the room is cool I sit the bottle in a cup of warm water. It drizzles out in a thin bead. I guess I have done upwards of 30 quilts with no puckering. I smooth out the fabric and it is repositionable for enough time if I have to adjust. When it is dry it does not gum up the machine needle. I wash my quilts afterwards in the machine with detergent and it always washes out.

I use one of those bottle that looks like a bottle for oiling the machine. It has a small nozzle. I do the same as the above poster.

I use the elmer's school glue stick for doing all of my basting. Works great.

I use a glue roller bottle, holds 8 oz. and don't dilute and cover every inch. I roll it on the batting. My quilt sandwich is like paper. No puckers or puffs at all. The fuzz comes right off the roller when you need to clean it. Or spread the glue on the quilt top and backing. The glue will dry with some wrinkles sometimes depending on how much is used. It dries over night. I steam press it after it dries to get it flat. It doesn't seem to wrinkle anymore from the steam. I use 80/20 cotton batting so don't know how poly batting will do with glue.

I have used all types of batting, including high loft poly, and always heat set each side with a dry, medium heat iron. I don't put pressure on the iron, just a quick pass over. I can heat set and flip right away and baste the other side. I have basted up to 6 quilts (throw size) in one day. I do let the finish drying overnight before I begin the quilting process. I just pile them on top of each other! I thin the glue (maybe 6 to 1) with water. Just enough to get a smooth drizzle. Apply in a grid pattern and smooth with a sponge brush. I have never encounter a wrinkle on either side! My HQ Sweet Sixteen has never had an issue quilting it. I would never go back to pins or sprays!