I use spray for basting. I've tried pinning and it killed my fingers and the long stitch basting didn't work for me either. If the quilt is washing after using spray basting, I think it will be okay for the long term, at least I hope so.

I pin the sandwich, using the pinmoors to hold in place. I have spray basted before though and that worked well. The problem was I didn't like breathing the fumes and it's not always convenient to have the window open to let the fumes out.

I spread mine on my queen size bed, use basting spray from walmart, and some pins. Could probably do without any pins as the spray works really well, but I just don't completely trust it, so I still put some pins, but not near as many as before I started using the spray! And I only stitch in the ditch on regular sewing machine or I machine tack sometimes.

If I am doing a large quilt, I go to our local senior center (not at a meal time), shove 2-3 tables together, tape down my well starched backing, with a friend, "float" the batting into place, then the well starched flimsy. I pin like crazy. When I have one table worth of quilt pin basted, I remove that table.

What I don't do: no spray basting as it triggers my asthma, even out of doors. I have spinal arthritis, so I only use pins I can pick up with a magnet, ergo, no curved pins. JHittle has a great telescoping magnet. I was dissatisfied with a tack gun, as every point that was tacked could wobble a bit. Also, I tended to jam the gun, although DH did not. I don't use iron on bats for bed quilts because I don't care for the texture, but they are great IMHO for wallhangings etc. Obviously, these are statements that are very personal to me and none of them may apply to you. The bottom line is that you will meed to find what works really well for you.

I thread baste using Susan Schamber's method. I agree, much easier to pull thread than try to unpin pins!!! It did take me several hours to baste a king size quilt, but that sucker did not move as i was hand-quilting it!! LOL!!

Spray basting for me, but it helps a *lot* to know a few tips before you start. Such as, mark the centers of the sides of your backing, batting and top; really helps when lining them up. After lining up batting on top of backing, fold back the batting and spray baste just one-half at a time.

If overspray is a concern, tape down the largest flat sheet you have first, to catch overspray. Afterwards toss this sheet in the laundry.

I have a long table and put on the backing, the batting and the top. I start out dead center and very gently, but firmly, push the fabric to all four sides as I prepare to pin; pin down the center block and go to the one on top of that one and then the one underneath the center block, and then to the sides, each time gently, but firmly pushing the fabric to the corners, so you end up doing the four corners of the quilt last. And last but not least, check to make sure that the bottom is nice and straight. It is time consuming, but I really enjoy this part of the quilting. It has become "The Challenge"!!!!!! I use this method when I tie down a quilt and as I finish each block (sewing the blocks in the same order as I pinned them down), I remove the pins and put them back in the Oxy-Clean container (My mom gave me her pins and I don't have the heart to put them in anything else), Also, for what it is worth, I would rather take the time to close the pins as I take them off the quilt.....Fons and Porter would disagree with me, but when I am concentrating on one thing, I cannot worry if the pins are open and are going to impale me to the living room wall!!!!!. I would much rather take the second or so to unhook the pin and use it and then rehook the pin when I am done! Just a thought here from me, who can't even take clothes out of the dryer without throwing my back out! No walking, no exercising, just probably laying on the floor on my back all day!!!!! Fun and games around here all the time! Edie

I pin baste, using the curved safety pins. It helps to use the Kwick Clip to close the pins, makes it easier on your fingers!

I have a cutting table I open up wide and I use binder clips to clip the sandwich to the table. The table edge is about 1", so the clips work pretty good. Usually can only do 1 side at a time.

For smaller quilts I will use the spray, but for my bigger quilts I use curved safety pins :)

I use pins and/or needle and thread. I don't like to have to mess with pins in a hoop. But for something small I will pin it. Otherwise, I use a needle and thread and baste it.