In earlier years I thread basted, pin based and used the plastic tacks. Once I found basting spray I never looked back.
DH bought two pieces of insulation board at the home improvement store which made a 96 X 96 inch square. I bought wide flannel backing and hot glued the backing extra to the back making it taut. We ran a piece of duct tape down the middle on the backside so it folds in half. I have several folding tables and I pull them into the driveway (if it's cold I do this in the garage with the windows open) and put the board on top of the tables. I have a 72 inch metal "yard stick" that you find in the tool section at the hardware store. The quilt sticks nicely to the flannel & I use the "ruler" to smooth the middle. I then go around the outside of the quilt with T-pins. I spray baste and leave on the table overnight. Until I did this I had a lot of trouble with puckers, wrinkles and tucks. If I am making a small quilt I use the back of my design wall which is a smaller version of the big one. I can fold them both in half and leave them in the garage or just push them up against a wall in the exercise room. During the winter I put them in front of the double windows as insulation to help lower the electric bill.