I use the basting spray but I still use pins, too. Not as many -- and mainly just around the edges. I will also hand baste if the quilt will be hand-quilted. I always start in the center and work out towards the edges. I bought one of the basting guns that puts a small plastic tack thru the quilt sandwich, but I don't like it very much --- it just didn't baste the layers together as tightly as I would have liked.