In my early days as a quilter, I never pinned. Every seam was 100% glue basted. It is the best way to ensure accuracy when piecing a block. Not sure why, but I would have the pieces perfectly lined up and when I went to pin it, they always shifted. I spent more time ripping seams than anything else. Once I started glue basting my seams it made quilting a whole lot easier and fun! No more stopping to remove pins nor the worry of sewing over one and breaking my needle. Aside from the expense, it is dangerous.
Today, I do not glue as much, however, if it is a quilt that requires precise seams or small pieces, I grab my bottle.
Here's a few pros of why glue basting rocks:
First, make sure your glue is washable. Not all glue is the same. I will give you a couple of links to available glues I recommend, in addition, I researched, and the price is great (typically, more economical than other sites).
Personally, I’ve tried two types of glue that have worked well. Roxanne basting glue, this is a 2 oz bottle with a micro point applicator and a fabric glue stick. For small projects, the glue stick works well but for larger projects or several back-to-back projects, Roxanne Basting Glue is the best. I have tried Elmers School Glue but found this one is not as thick and ended up putting too much on my seam making a mess.
Steps to Glue Baste
At times, it may seem time consuming, however, if you factor in ripping your seams because they are not aligned or not sewn correctly, it is actually faster.
Bonus tip: If you have a stubborn seam (like on a 9 patch) that keeps flipping as you sew, apply a dab of glue on the seam and heat press. It will stay out the way!
Get the most of your bottle. After you are done sewing for the day, take the lid off of the bottle and rinse it with warm water and dry it well. You can also place a sewing pin in the top to keep the tip clear from glue. (Do this only after you wash or else the pin will be glued to your top)
If you would like to see it in action, check out my video on youtube. Link is at the bottom of this post.
In my early days as a quilter, I never pinned. Every seam was 100% glue basted. It is the best way to ensure accuracy when piecing a block. Not sure why, but I would have the pieces perfectly lined up and when I went to pin it, they always shifted. I spent more time ripping seams than anything else. Once I started glue basting my seams it made quilting a whole lot easier and fun! No more stopping to remove pins nor the worry of sewing over one and breaking my needle. Aside from the expense, it is dangerous.
Today, I do not glue as much, however, if it is a quilt that requires precise seams or small pieces, I grab my bottle.
Here's a few pros of why glue basting rocks:
- No more pins that bend, shift, or break needles.
- Precise seams
- When you go to sew your block, there is no chance of sewing the wrong side because you know the glued side is the side to sew. I cannot tell you how many times I have ripped a block because I sewed the wrong side.
- After glued, you can flip the block back to the seam allowance to see if it is lined up right. If not, carefully pull apart and re-glue.
- As long as you heat press it, it is dry and will not gunk up your needle.
- It will wash out when you wash the quilt.
First, make sure your glue is washable. Not all glue is the same. I will give you a couple of links to available glues I recommend, in addition, I researched, and the price is great (typically, more economical than other sites).
Personally, I’ve tried two types of glue that have worked well. Roxanne basting glue, this is a 2 oz bottle with a micro point applicator and a fabric glue stick. For small projects, the glue stick works well but for larger projects or several back-to-back projects, Roxanne Basting Glue is the best. I have tried Elmers School Glue but found this one is not as thick and ended up putting too much on my seam making a mess.
Steps to Glue Baste
- Apply a small bead of glue along the top of the seam within the allowance.
- Line up your fabric and finger press
- Using your iron, I do recommend a piece of scrap fabric on top just in case it bleeds through, heat press the seam for a few seconds drying the glue.
- Flip your block back to make sure it is aligned perfectly. If not, pull apart and repeat. If yes, sew your seam.
At times, it may seem time consuming, however, if you factor in ripping your seams because they are not aligned or not sewn correctly, it is actually faster.
Bonus tip: If you have a stubborn seam (like on a 9 patch) that keeps flipping as you sew, apply a dab of glue on the seam and heat press. It will stay out the way!
Get the most of your bottle. After you are done sewing for the day, take the lid off of the bottle and rinse it with warm water and dry it well. You can also place a sewing pin in the top to keep the tip clear from glue. (Do this only after you wash or else the pin will be glued to your top)
If you would like to see it in action, check out my video on youtube. Link is at the bottom of this post.
You Tube Video: https://youtu.be/qUWKK-5DcWo
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