My aunt would pin her backing, batting and quilt top on a clothesline and baste it there. She would start at the middle and then use the pole to lower or raise the line. She used a 2 x 4 to roll the quilt from the bottom, held it in place with diaper pins on each end, then unrolled it as needed. She was fast doing it this way, I've never tried it, mostly because I've never had a clothesline. :?