i quilt with a group at the community center and we don't baste. We use wooden poles with fabric on them to which we tightly pin backing, then spread out the batting and the quilt top then baste them to the fabric, roll once then we quilt from the outside in coming from all sides at once. no puckers or bad stitches allowed since the quilts are sewn on commission for other quilters. each quilter gets a personal quilt done as well according to how much time they volunteer to quilt others.