I had an OLD partial bottle of Washable School Glue, so I used it to "test" baste a placemat. I also used a small spatula to spread the glue VERY thin on the batting. By using the spatula, I was able to baste both sides. I then heat set with a dry iron AND left it to sit over night, to make sure it was dry. I then did a basic Babtist Fan all over. No issues with needle, thread or moving it around my sewing machine. And it was awesome to not have to "hold" the fabric to keep it all from shifting! Now to do the other 5 place mats and bind. I've got some washable glue sticks I'll be trying with the binding. I love this forum, you find out the coolest new uses for "non-traditional" sewing tools!
Thank you all for sharing!