A tip for those complaining about a sticky mess: You do not have to baste the entire area. Start in the center and stop about a foot from the edges. By the time your quilting reaches that point you will be able to manage it with your hands or use some pins if you must.
Or try just spray basting the backing to the filler. The backing is where I have the most issues with pleating. I can line up the top with what has been spray basted and use very few pins to secure it.