Sit down quilting machine ? RE basting
 

Looking to buy and sit down machine but ? on basting. I pin baste my quilts when I quilt using my DSM. Will I have to spray baste if I buy and sit down?

I sew on my older Bernina using pins. I would assume that it depends on the type of quilting you will be doing in order to remove the pins as you go. You just don't want to hit a needle with any DSM.

I sew on my HQSweet Sixteen sitdown with safety pin basting all the time. You just have to watch out where you pin and I remove as I quilt. I've never tried the spray basting.

There's no reason you should have to switch to spray basting for a sit down machine. I can't work safety pins with my arthritic hands, but thankfully I discovered the Sharon Schamber method for thread basting, which uses a herringbone stitch and tatting thread to grip the layers securely. It holds beautifully for machine quilting, and it's so easy to remove while quilting (easier, I would imagine, than removing pins).

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

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

If I had the room for a sit down quilting machine I would still pin baste.

I gave up pin basting and spray baste all my quilts. I use a DSM but hope to someday add an Innova sit down machine to my sewing room.

Gem...that's the machine I'm looking at! I love the way it sews and dh loves the way it's put together!