Using Glue Stick Creatively

Use a glue stick for all kinds of sewing projects. It holds items in place until you can sew them down.

For piecing: Where you would use a pin to match seams, touch one seam junction with glue stick and press the opposite side on it.
Instead of pins, especially with children, spread a bit of glue about every 3 inches to hold the seam before seaming.
For Applique:
Hand- Cut out the freezer paper templates for applique pieces. Put glue stick on the matte side, press to the wrong side of the fabric and use an iron to turn edges under that will attach to the waxy side of the paper. OR Iron the freezer paper to the wrong side of fabric and use glue stick to stick the edges of the applique to the matte side of the freezer paper.

Fusible- Using a non-sticky web? Use a bit of glue stick to attach the fusible web to the background so it won’t slip until you press it.

For Trims and Zippers:
Instead of poking yourself with pins, use glue stick to attach the trim or zipper before sewing it down.

Good for hems, too!
Anywhere you would use a pin, glue stick it!
Make sure you always use a water soluble, acid free glue so fabrics will not be harmed.

Organizing your ever growing scrap pile!

Here's an overview of ways to cut up your scrap fabrics. Begin by sorting them into colors and styles. Styles are such things as flannel, batik, or screenprinted cotton. Now begin to cut them into the following listed sizes according to what you like to work with. Use gallon plastic storage bags to store the various sizes and colors. I have listed commercial patterns that are scrap oriented which you can use with these scraps. Sometimes you need a background fabric to pull all the fabrics together. You decide how small the piece needs to be before you throw it away! NO guilt! Remember it's spring and birdies like bits of color to put in their nests. Place scraps in an onion bag, hang it up outside and let them pull out the bits to feather their nests.

Cutting up your scraps: common sizes
• Squares: 2″, 2 ½″, 3″, 3 ½″, 4″, 4½″, 5″, 6″, 10″

• Strips: 1 ¼″, 1 ½″, 2″, 2 ½″, 3″, 3½″

• To make flying geese from squares and rectangles:
1. 3 ½″ x 6½″ rectangles and 3 ½″ squares
2. 2 ½″ x 4 ½″ rectangles and 2 ½″ squares

Commercial patterns which use scraps and the sizes needed

• Four Square Farmhouse—strips of 4 ½″, 3″, 2″

• I Can’t Believe it’s a Beginner--3½″ and 6″ squares,

• Braids on Parade—2 ½″ strips

• Cabin Fever-- 2½″ and 3½″ squares

• Modern Thinking--1½″ and 2½″ strips

• Whirlin’--1½″ strips

• Cure for a Bad Day-- 2″ strips

• Partial to 4’s—1 ½″ and 3″ squares, 2″ strips

• Which Way Do I go?—3 ½″ squares, 3½″ x 6 ½″ rectangles

• Any jelly roll (2 ½″ strips), charms (5″ squares) or layer cake (10″) book or pattern

Ideas for storage:
Plastic zip seal gallon bags labeled with sizes

Shoe, Photo or clear boxes

Stacked drawers on wheels—one for strips in lights and darks
--one for squares of different sizes