Basting, as it relates to quilting, is the process of temporarily holding three layers of fabric together in preparation for quilting. Basting can be done by hand sewing, machine sewing, safety pins, spray glue, or other methods.  When using any form of stitching to baste a quilt, the stitch length is generally at least 1/2-inch long or longer. When basting using safety pins or other pins, the pins are generally 4—6 inches apart over the entire area of the quilt.