I can't stand the spray basting but like Prism said too much manipulating can created havoc in your quilting. I always let the fabric rest after pressing or ironing. It needs to calm down. Sounds like your pin basting is ok depending on your batting which often determines the space in your basting. The last quilt I did, I had my ironing board and another table butt up to each other and my sewing surface to help with the weight of the quilt. I also had a flannel back vinyl fabric with the vinyl side up to help maneuver the quilt easily. Worked for me.