There's no reason you should have to switch to spray basting for a sit down machine. I can't work safety pins with my arthritic hands, but thankfully I discovered the Sharon Schamber method for thread basting, which uses a herringbone stitch and tatting thread to grip the layers securely. It holds beautifully for machine quilting, and it's so easy to remove while quilting (easier, I would imagine, than removing pins).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_EjBGz5vGQ