There is a clever technique for basting a quilt that lets you sit comfortably in a chair AND lets you work at your own pace...ie. you can walk away, make dinner, come back etc. I have used it a few times and have found it works really, really well.
Rather than pin (I hate pinning as my hands are not up to the task), you do a large running hand baste, which goes very quickly (as quickly as pins for me) and which has a huge advantage: you can leave the quilt basted up waiting to be quilted as long as you like...no issues with rust or hard to get out holes in your quilt. Also mails easily.
There is a two part video to show you exactly what and how to do it:
Part One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
Part Two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_EjBGz5vGQ
As you do the final quilting, you just pull the threads out of the area you are about to quilt. Easy peasy.
Regards,
Janet