Spray baste....always.....I use Dritz and have great results.....I wash at the end to get rid of any dirt, chemicals, starch and to make those little oops become visible, so the basting washes out anyway.....spray basting is by far the easiest way for me (no more sore knees from pinning on the floor) ....I spread out an old flat sheet on the bed to catch overspray and do it there.....best tip I can give for basting spray is to spray lightly - helps prevent needle gumming and it really doesn't take that much to keep all the layers together.