I was taught to baste stitch, use a thin thread like tatting thread, and stitch a harringbone stitch about every 2-3 fingers apart in all directions, work your way up, then down going across. On a full quilt, start center & work in both directions alternating. This really works great.
I've tried the staple in plastic basting, the bent quilt safety pin basting, the spray basting, and I really like the stitch basting best. sounds like it would take too long, but really, is faster than those pins, and you can stitch over it and not break needles or have to stop to remove pins.