If you’re a crafter or enjoy working on a variety of sewing projects, then it sure is handy to have some fabric-friendly glue in your craft bin.
You use it to adhere fabric to fabric, help prevent the fabric from fraying, temporarily baste fabric, or adhere gems and other items to a surface.
Not sure which is the best fabric glue for your project? We’ll highlight some of the top products in our guide below and help you understand the differences between each kind.
Top 10 Fabric Glue Comparison Table
| Picture | Name | Use | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Roxanne Glue Baste It | Basting | $$$$ | 4.6 |
 | 2. Dritz 1674 Fray Check Liquid Seam Sealant, 0.75-Ounce, 2/Pack | Prevents Fraying | $$ | 4.6 |
 | 3. Beacon Gem-Tac Permanent Adhesive, 4-Ounce | Gem Attachment | $$ | 4.6 |
 | 4. Elmer's Craft Bond Fabric and Paper Glue, 4-Ounce, Clear | Various Projects | $ | 4.5 |
 | 5. Tear Mender TM-1 Bish's Original Tear Mender Instant Fabric and Leather Adhesive, 2 oz Bottle | Leather & Fabric | $$ | 4 |
 | 6. Surebonder FS-12 All-Temp Fabric Glue Sticks, 4-Inch | Various Projects | $ | 4.7 |
 | 7. Beacon Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive, 4-Ounce | Various Projects | $$ | 4.5 |
 | 8. Aleene's No-Sew fabric Glue 4oz | Temporary Stitching | $ | 4.2 |
 | 9. Dritz 44153 Unique Stitch Fabric Glue, 1.25 oz | Various Projects | $$ | 4.2 |
 | 10. 3M Super 77 Multi-Purpose Adhesive, 4.37-Ounce | Various Projects | $$ | 4.5 |
Types of Glue
Finding the best fabric glue means choosing one that matches your project needs. Some of you want a permanent adhesive that won’t wash off or wear out over time while others simply need a way to hold two items together temporarily.
- Permanent. For adhering jewels and other items to fabric, a permanent glue is best. If it goes on a garment or item that will be washed, you need to make sure that it won’t fall off in the spin cycle!
When attaching gems or repairing small tears in garments, this is the type of glue you need.
- Temporary. Think of sewing projects where you only need to hold to pieces of fabric together for a short time. Perhaps you can’t sew them together, or you aren’t ready for the permanent stitching; a “basting” glue or “temporary stitching” glue, in this case, would be very useful.
These usually rinse off once exposed to water and won’t leave any residue on the fabric.
Think About the Consistency and Application Method
Glue comes in a variety of consistencies, so think about which one will work best for the project you’re undertaking.
- Spray. Think about attaching fabric to a lampshade or a box: you want it to lay flat and look professional, right?
If you use a spray adhesive, it is very easy to apply it evenly without worrying about any glue globs showing through on the surface. We like 3M Super 77 Multi-Purpose Adhesive.
- Dense Liquid. Many types of fabric glue come in the form of a dense liquid.
Keep in mind that it is more difficult to apply dense liquid glue evenly, so you will need to apply it with a brush or only apply it to a small area so that it doesn’t create a bulge.
- Sticks. The other option is to get sticks of fabric glue that you can use with a glue gun. These are usually very flexible, and most are safe for the washing machine.
For small, detail work, this glue isn’t ideal since you risk burning your fingers, but for larger projects, it’s great. We really liked the Surebonder Fabric Stik Fabric Glue Sticks.
Top 3 Best Fabric Glue Reviews
1. Roxanne Glue Baste It
The best fabric glue for a temporary hold is one like this from Roxanne International.
The reason we love this glue is that they provide you with several different applicator tips that look like syringe needles to help you precisely apply the glue to a small area.
As a temporary glue, it is designed to help keep an item in place (whether that be an applique figure or another piece of fabric) while you can go about the final stitches. It is water-soluble, which means that it will wash off when it is exposed to water.
Those who sew don’t have to worry about it creating a sticky mess on the needle and the level of control is superb. You’ll also receive a little syringe cleaner that you can use to make sure all excess glue is removed before you put it away.
A bit pricey, but worth it if you need temporary, precision glue application.
2. Dritz 1674 Fray Check Liquid Seam Sealant
Have you ever taken on a project with a particularly difficult fabric that likes to unravel constantly as you work with it? Think of chiffon, velvet or ribbons that seem to come apart as fast as you can sew them.
Fray check solves this problem by sealing the ends of fabric and preventing them from fraying.
We love using this product on anything from quilt tops to garments and the best part is that it dries clear. True, the edges of the fabric will be a bit hard and crispy, but that’s a small price to pay when you have threads that stay in place! Many use it on the edges that won’t be seen on the final project, so the crispy edges probably won’t be a problem for most.
Our tip – make sure you clean the tip well between uses. This stuff dries very hard and is hard to puncture once it is dry. Make sure the hole is clear so you won’t have to fight with it the next time you want to use it.
3. Beacon Gem-Tac Permanent Adhesive
For a great permanent attachment; opt for a bottle of Beacon’s Gem-Tac.
Use it to apply beads, sequins, glitter or rhinestones to fabrics or use it to apply fabric directly to glass, metal, leather, and vinyl surfaces. The grip is strong and it dries clear.
Be careful when extracting the glue, as the tip is rather wide and quite a bit of liquid comes pouring out. You might want a toothpick nearby to help you apply it to smaller items.
The uses of this glue are endless; we’ve used it on clothing, shoes, and craft projects galore. It’s hard to go wrong with this stuff!
