I've found that my thread stand for cones is a great help when I'm hand-quilting. I hang it over the arm on my tall light that swings out over the quilt, place a spool of quilting thread on the post and run the free end down through the hole. Any place I'm working on the quilt frame, the thread is accessible, but never in the way, and I can pull out a length and cut it without ever touching the spool. Saves lots of time! Happy quilting! ;)