Originally Posted by Quiltersbox

I use my kitchen island. It's 4' x 6' now, but my old one was 48" x 30".
If you don't have an island, one of those hobby/cutting tables with the fold up sides will work well.
Although I haven't basted a king size on it yet, basting on the island has been working for me.
I think it's important the surface be flat and that the back be free of wrinkles before you lay it down.
Smooth each layer out from the center as you lay them on top of each other.
You can never have enough safety pins.
Make sure the back is at least 4" larger on all sides to allow for migration when you are smoothing out the layers from the center.
Start pinning from the center of your section (the section is the part on top of the island at the moment)
I keep smoothing as I'm pinning - I can usually feel any wrinkles as I go.
When I'm done with the section, I gently move the quilt sandwich over the island to do a new section.

There are a few good books that have instructions & tips for basting:

Harriet Hargrave - Heirloom machine quilting, published by C & T Publishing

Barbara Schaffeld & Bev Vickery - Hand Quilt Without a Frame, published by Lone Tree Press

The Complete Book of Machine Quilting, second edition by Robbie & Tony Fanning published by Chilton Book Company