Quilt in a Day Forums

Here is my problem: I am putting applique pieces on blocks using Heat N Bond Lite. Then going back as I have time and doing hand stitching around the pieces. Well the Heat & Bond is coming loose and the pieces are barely stuck on! So I got this glue thingy made by Sewline that looks like a Pen and has cool refills. It holds for a short while then it comes loose too!!! Soooo I went and got out the Roxannes glue. It is holding better but not totally. What in the Sam Hill have I done or what in your opinion is wrong?????? I am ready to go get Elmers & try that! LOL It is pathetic! All of the fabric was washed with no fabric softener because I hand washed it all. The only thing I can think of was I did use that Mary Ellens stuff instead of Spray Starch when I ironed it. Could that be the cause of nothing sticking????? I am about to pull my hair out. I have 4 whooping blocks hand stitched out of 20! Not good at this rate.

Thanks for any insight you might have.
Huge Hugs

Anytime I have used Heat and Bond Lite I have have the same problem - I just re-ironed the pieces back on -with my regular iron or my small portable iron. I do a lot of machine blanket stitch and this seems to work for me.

Hope that this may help

Jana

well this is good for me to know.. I just used heat and bond on the back of my pieces but haven;t ironed them to my block yet.. guess I will Iron a couple, sew a couple...

Is there something better than heat and bond that won't do what Cathy is talking about?

Chriss

When this happened to me I found out I was using a WAY to hot of an iron. I was melting the glue off. I started using the setting half way between off and high (have an old iron and it just has numbers) and now I don't have a problem with my applique lifting. This seems to work on both Heat n Bond and Wonder Under. I don't do hand turned applique..I prefer the stick on with machine stitched edges. You might try reironing with a med setting and see what happens.

Maggie

I've used Steam-a-Seam 2 on a lot of applique's and never had a problem. I usually machine sew the edges afterward with small zigzag with invisible thread. It can be purchased in a package of 8-10 sheets or by the yard. maryz

I very well may have used too hot of an iron with the Heat N Bond Lite. But the Sewline Glue & Roxannes still not sticking throws me for a loop. Makes me wonder if it could be the Mary Ellens Spray stuff I used to iron my fabric with. hmmmm I have used more time trying to get these blasted pieces to stick, than it would take to probably hand stitch the whole quilt top.

Thank You for your replies. I really appreciate it!!!!
Love You ALL

Boy, Cathy, it sounds to me like something on the background fabric is preventing any of the glue from sticking...my guess would be the Mary Ellen's stuff, too. I would think that even a heavy spray starch could prevent the glue from penitrating into the background fabric. Just a thought!

Joanne:0)

Joanne that is what I am just guessing, but it may not be. I really really love Mary Ellens Best Press & buy it by the gallon. I have 3 grandkids quilts to do for Christmas using Heat N Bond (reason for 2 Bolts of it) and I will not use the ME Best Press on the background pieces just in case that might be the culprit. I am soooo determined with these blocks I already have going that I may spend the entire weekend and baste ea. little piece on, just to keep them onto the background until I can get it all handstitched. But if that is what it takes, I'll do it. LOL Determined, stubborn or both, I don't know. I just want this quilt. LOL

Hugs & Love

I think it is the Heat & Bond residue that is keeping the appliques from sticking. I iron my fabrics with Mary Ellen's BP and have never had a problem with sticking anything to it. On my last binding I use Roxanne's basting glue and as I put on a thin bead of glue I ironed it dry and it stuck perfectly while I hand stitched that binding around a queen size quilt. Let us know what you find that works.

I remember one time having a hard time with the paper backed fusible. Finally realized that it was too old. Bought some new and it worked just fine.