Missouri Star EPP clear glue stick pen for quilting

Quilting Glue – Fabric Glue Sticks, Glue Pens & Basting Glue

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Temporary fabric glue holds your pieces in place so you can sew without pins: glue pens and glue sticks for English paper piecing, and fine-tip basting glue for appliqué and binding. Shop Roxanne Glue-Baste-It, Sue Daley, Aleene’s and Missouri Star glue pens. read more

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Quilting Glue – Fabric Glue Sticks, Glue Pens & Basting Glue

Why Quilters Use Fabric Glue

Pins shift, poke and leave bumps under your presser foot. A temporary fabric glue holds fabric exactly where you put it, then washes out when the quilt is finished. Quilters reach for it for three jobs above all: English paper piecing, appliqué and binding. It’s also handy for matching seams, holding a zipper in place on a bag, or gluing fabric swatches to a pattern key.

Glue Pens and Glue Sticks

Glue pens are the go-to for English paper piecing. The Missouri Star Glue Pen lays down a thin, clear line, and the 10-pack keeps one in every EPP project bag. The Sue Daley Glue Pen takes refills, so you keep the pen and swap the glue. Roxanne and Aleene’s glue sticks give wider coverage for binding, backing seams and foundation paper piecing. New to EPP? Our guide to the best English paper piecing supplies covers glue, papers and thread, and you can shop everything in English paper piecing supplies.

Liquid Basting Glue

Roxanne Glue-Baste-It is a water-soluble liquid glue with a fine tip that puts down a dot exactly where you need it. It comes in a 0.5 oz bottle, a 2 oz bottle, the EZ and 2-Way Applicator bottles, the Dip & Dab, and a 6 oz refill. Use it for appliqué, wool appliqué and quilt-as-you-go seams, or to glue-baste your binding (see our quilt binding guide). Sue Daley Appliqué Glue is a favorite for needle-turn appliqué. Customers call it “liquid pins.”

Tips for Glue Basting

  • Less is more. A few dots or a thin line holds; extra glue just takes longer to dry.
  • Keep glue in the seam allowance and out of the stitching line.
  • Let it dry, or press it with a hot iron, before you sew.
  • Wash the finished quilt to remove the glue completely.

Quilting Glue FAQs

What’s the best glue for English paper piecing?+

A glue pen or glue stick. Swipe a thin line along the edge of the paper template, fold the seam allowance over and press. It’s much faster than thread basting, which is why so many of our EPP reviewers say they’ll never go back. Keep the glue to the edge of the paper: a couple of customers found papers hard to pull out when they used too much.

Can I glue-baste my quilt binding?+

Yes, and it’s one of the most popular uses. Put small dots of a fine-tip liquid glue like Roxanne Glue-Baste-It (or a glue stick) in the seam allowance, fold the binding over and let it dry before you stitch. Reviewers say the binding doesn’t slip, and some now sew it down by machine instead of by hand.

Does quilting glue wash out?+

The glues we carry are temporary. Roxanne Glue-Baste-It is water soluble and washes out with soapy water, even after ironing and sewing, and Aleene’s fabric glue sticks come out in the wash. Use a light touch on pale fabrics: one reviewer could see glue on a light string quilt before washing.

Which glue is best for appliqué?+

Liquid glue with a fine tip, like Sue Daley Appliqué Glue or Roxanne Glue-Baste-It. A tiny dot under each piece is enough. Customers say a quick press with a hot iron sets it so they can stitch right away, and that it doesn’t gum up the needle when it stays out of the stitching line.

Do you carry hot glue guns?+

No. Hot glue is permanent and stiff, so it isn’t made for quilts or anything you’ll wash. For fabric, a temporary glue stick, glue pen or basting glue holds pieces in place while you sew and washes out when you’re done.