Originally Posted by Sierra

I tried pinning (ouch), spraying (gag), etc., but for free motion quilting (on my domestic machine) I have settled on this for all sizes of quilts:

1) The backing needs to be secured either with spray or with fusible fleece (I love the fusible)

2) pin the front in wide set rows as far apart as the fabric will allow, perhaps 10" apart, allowing for the directions you want to stitch (see below);

3) starting in the middle and with a slow speed, machine baste with long stitches (about 3" long) and work to the corners first; this allows you to insure that your fabric is still smooth. Sometimes I find myself even stopping, straightening the fabric (or the way it last stitched) and going on from there. It's best to have an idea of your final plan so you don't baste where you want to put your final quilting stitches, but the basting is easy to pull out if you do overlap.

4) when both sides have been checked, choose the stitch you want and quilt where you want.

This almost takes as long to do as to put the procedure down here!

Hope this is helpful.