I have a long dining table[seats 10]. I put 2 old cutting[cardboard] mats on it and put my sandwitched quilt on it and pin away. Stop and check all the time. I start in the middle and work out all over the quilt. I'm constantly pulling and checking to make sure it is taut.

I go over to the church and push tables together until i have enough space for the entire quilt top. I tape my backing down to the tables all the way along all four edges. then smooth on the batting, add the top, and start basting. I like to baste with quilter's safety pins, especially designed for pin basting. I don't use regular safety pins as they sometimes leave marks or holes. I have made some pretty big quilts and ended up crawling on the tables to get to the middle but it sure beats the alternative. Then it's back home for quilting.

I crawl around on the floor but only to tape the backing to the wood floor. My DH works with me and we use 505 Spray and Fix. We lay the batting on top of the backing and the top on top of that. I fold the batting and top halfway back and he sprays the batting. I flip the batting layer down and smooth it out and he sprays the top part of the batting and I fold the quilt top over that and smooth it out. We then do the other half of the quilt. When it is all finished, We remove the tape from the floor and flip over the whole quilt to make sure that the backing is smooth. It is easy enough to get out any wrinkles. When all of this is finished, we both take hot wet (squeezed out) washrags to clean up any overspray from the floor. Then I take the quilt to the dining room table where I will put a few pins in. The whole thing takes about 1/2 hour for a lap size quilt. I could never be on my knees crawling around doing the whole thing.
This way the only time I am crawling is when we are taping.

If your church or a local church has a fellowship room see if you can come during the day and use several of their tables.

Use fusible hem tape and iron your sandwiched layers together. No pins needed.

Fusible batting? Ladies, your opinion?

I use my craft table from Joann's also. I use large binder clips to attached the backing fabric to the board, centering it on the table, then I add the batting, smooth it out and remove the clips that I used for the backing fabric, then I have the batting and backing fabric attached to the table with the clips, and then I do the same with the quilt top. After I have pinned it with safety pins, I remove the binding clips and move the quilt so that the sections that I still need to pin are on the table. I've been doing this for the past several years. The large heavy duty binding clips work very well in keeping the quilt and backing flat and together.

I use this method by Sharon Schamber. My BF cut the boards and painted them so they won't snag my fabric. I can now pin sitting at the kitchen table. Easy on the back.

I love the church idea. We live right next door to the church where my husband is a member. My church is much farther away. So I might have to ask if I can come and use some space during the days when I need to do one. Right now I have just been doing baby quilts which are only 36x36 so that is easy to just slide around on my desk and do it in sections..but when I need the space for larger ones I will have to keep that in mind.

I have 3 folding tables (that fold in 1/2) that I keep stored in my "cutting" room & when I need them I put them up in my master bedroom (or a rec room etc. would do). They are usually available at most craft/home depot/ type stores - about $30.00 each (in Canada). They may even fit under a bed when not in use. I too, cannot do the floor thing as I have a bad back & bad knees. For less than $100. this works for me.