Ok, I have to weigh in on this. I have always pin-basted, with great success, and used Quilter's Dream request or select, on a Viking designer. I have quilted 2 quilts on the Juki 2010, and both have been a nightmare. On this last one, I used the thinnest QD batt, pinned every 3 inches, and yes, the back was flat, etc, but the Jukester's walking foot pushed the top around and distorted it terribly. I had reduced the pressure on the foot, of course. I was then forced to carefully "unwonk" every 3" square as best I could. And it wasn't fun.
As you can imagine, the "just have fun with quilting" thread had me screaming.
I have now acquired the Janome walking foot to use on the next one but don't know if it's a solution or not. There is no adhesion between the top and the thin batt, except where the pins are. I think the Juki walking foot is just too much for the thin batt and the thinness of today's quilting cotton.
I quilted a small project on a 1/2" thick poly batt from JoAnn and didn,t even bother to extend the pins into the back. It came out perfectly. Not a tuck anywhere.
i am now looking at another quilt, already pinned every 3", and am torn between taking the pins out and using a thicker, more adherent batt and and trying the staflo-spraying method on the sandwich, followed by a quick press with a small iron to adhere the front to the batting. Someone on the board recommended it - Slightlyoffquilter? I am desperately hoping it will keep this top from floating above the batt.
so, sometimes it can be the machine. I love the Juki, but these last two things were truly awful.
hugs,
Charlotte