I guess I lost this thread for a while and didn't respond to a couple of people asking questions about hand quilting without a hoop. I must apologise for that.
I just simply use big saftey pins to baste my quilt......lots of them! I then start in the middle and quilt my way out to the edges, removing the pins as I get to them. I just sit on the sofa or chair with my feet up and have the quilt in my lap and around me and go for it. It's fun and relaxing to quilt in this manner....for me anyway. I use a 10 or 11 between needle......a leather thimble on my middle finger and a finger cot on my thumb for pulling the needle through when needed. To prevent puckering of the stitches just smooth them out as you go and don't pull too tight when pulling the needle through. Just relax with it. Hope that helps someone trying to hand quilt without a hoop.