I've just cut a batting for a lap quilt, and as I always do for this I used a king-size bed as the cutting surface (no sheet and very taut mattress cover, and no bits to adhere like the carpet and I can stand-up afterwards).
It suddenly struck me that this would be an ideal basting table as I use the little gun tacks rather than pins or thread. I can lay the quilt out flat with all of it on the 'table', can pin taut very easily and really see what I'm doing - this time an added bonus as my backing hasn't got quite the amount spare round the edges I usually like. I use a little plastic grid thingy to raise the piece being shot off the surface. I wonder if you could use a big bed surface for the other methods if you slide a large cutting board to make a firm surface to pin onto.
Not recommended for a water bed!