I NEVER crawled on the floor (but I believe my best friend still does) when there are LQS that will allow you to use their classroom when not being used. So much BETTER on this old back.

The blue painter's tape is what I used to tape it to the floor, and for many other things - I love the stuff. I was thinking that it wouldn't work as well on the table because the quilt would be wider than the table and I'd have to tape it to the underside, but the bottom of the table is not flat, it has a 2 1/2" vertical edge all around it, about 1 1/2" in (why is it so hard to describe something relatively simple?).

Maybe tape for smaller quilts and just letting in hang, as Sewnoma suggested for larger ones. I know I'll have to try it several different ways before I figure out which one works best for me, and I really appreciate all the suggestions! Deb Watkins, the rubber grip clips sound like a good idea, and I have a BBB coupon, making it even better.

A cardboard cutting mat sounds like it might be better than my vague acrylic idea. Would that be that something like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Cardboard-Patt.../dp/B000G6DY2Y

Have you ever checked out the youtube for basting by Sharon Schamber? That's the only way I do it now. I even did a king size quilt that way. I used my cutting mat to prevent scratches to my dining room table (moved it around a lot.) I have a great friend who helped me baste the big one.

I use the exact same method as Sewnoma with the Elmer's glue. No clamps or tape required and it is done on the table so no crawling on the floor.

Here are the links to the Sharon Schamber basting videos. It is such a non-stressful way to baste, holds beautifully for machine quilting, and is so easy to remove as you quilt. The catch is, you need a table as long as the width of your quilt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwNylePFAA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_EjBGz5vGQ

This is the way I do it. When DH saw that I came home with 2 6ft boards and I showed him what I was doing he thought I was brilliant. Had to fess up and tell him I saw it here. He thinks she's brilliant too. I was brilliant because I purchased the wood and got it into the jeep and brought it home all by myself. I'll leave it at that. LOL! But no crawling for me.

If the Elmer's School Glue method was too messy, you were probably putting too much effort into spreading it. I don't spread the glue, at all. I just lightly drizzle it onto the batting, then smooth/pat the fabric onto the top of the batting. Any glue blobs are eliminated, with the smoothing and patting.

I buy Elmer's by the gallon, pour some into a little dish, add a splash of water to thin it down a little (just a LITTLE water, or it stays wet too long), and then I use a 3" wide brush to dab it on. I just sort of punch our pounce the brush around on the batting, dab up more glue, punch punch punch, glue, punch punch punch... I can't brush it on or punch the brush down too hard or it stretches the batting so I just sort of dab it around randomly. I try to put a dab every inch or so but I'm not super methodical about it. It goes pretty quick and clean up is easy; just a little dish soap on my brush and it washes right off. I don't bother to wash the dish - when the glue is dry it peels right out.

This keeps it from being too messy and helps me not get big gobs. I used to just squeeze and drizzle but the squeezing is hard on my hands. This method is easy on all my aging parts. :)

I dilute the glue with a little water and squeeze it on the batting in squiggles. That's all I do for both sides. Takes about 2 minutes per side for a large quilt. Takes a little time for it to dry if I don't press it dry.