I bought a 6' folding leg table from Office Depot with a top thin enough to use the large binder clips. I tape large closed safety pins to the center of the table and the center of all four edges. You start your back with the center of the back (I iron the back so I can find the center of all for sides and the middle), use the clips to hold it in place. Fold the batting into fourths, lay centered and unfold, then the top same way. The taped safety pins are thick enough to feel through the layers so you keep you 3 layers lined up correctly. Pin baste the entire table top, then unclip and move the entire sandwich to one edge until the entire quilt is pinned. You can only clamp the back on the edge not already pinned at this point. The weighed of the pinned portion is usually enough to keep it taught. (That's not the right spelling ) I do king-sized quilts this way and can sit at my table, listen to a book on tape and pin away. Very soothing!

I do tape tha backing to the table. I smooth it, but do not pull it tight.

I make a pocket in the overhangs and put curtain rods or yardsticks in the " pockets". This puts just enough tension on the backing to minimize wrinkling/bunching up - but not enough to distort the fabric with too much pulling.

My table is 96 x 38 inches and DH made pedastals to raise it six inches.

I've done that. It works well. I use the big tables in the conference room in our office building. I just go in after 5 and set them up.

What a good idea. You just make rod pockets, like for curtains, is that right?

There is a table that can be purchased for around 65.00 dollars that folds up on the two sides. I have used this table everytime I pin a quilt. You can purchase clips that fit it really easy. wish I could remember the name of the clips I bought but my memory is flawed!

These are the clips I've used for decades. But I actually prefer hand basting to pin basting these days for bed sized quilts.
http://www.staples.com/OIC-Binder-Cl.../product_79685

Jan in VA

Wow, there are so many good ideas here that I have no idea which to try first. Thank you so much, everyone. I'll have to reread this all in a day or two after it's had a chance to soak in and watch that youtube video that a couple people recommended before I decide. Then I'll need to, you know, make a quilt and try it out.

I sandwich in a table. Look this youtube video called How to sandwich a large quilt in a small table:

https://youtu.be/jnke_KzeTI8

I love it.

Oh quilting friends... PLEASE go view this youtube video!! It is the just the best way to baste quilts! I went on so much about how wonderful it was after renting a long table to baste a quilt that my DH just bought me my own table. It's a banquet table... plastic top/folding legs... stores in the garage. No more crawling on the floor! And even though she demonstrates with a small piece of "quilt", the method works for large quilts too! I haven't done a king, but I've done a queen-size!
Please view it... if I can baste like this, ANYONE can! I promise!!!

I can't baste quilts on the floor any more and don't have room to set up folding tables so I came up with my own solution. I use blue tape to tape the backing and batting to the wall, then pin the top to it. It works great, no bending over or being stuck on the floor because I can't get back up.

Cari