Judy, I used to use the ironing board set to my left to hold the weight of the quilt while machine quilting. I still struggled because the weight of the quilt would sometimes fall off the ironing board causing me to lose my rhythm. One day I purchased one of those sewing tables at a thrift shop with the well for the machine. I set it up in the dining room next to the table, and another bright light went off. Trust me this doesn't happen often. I got out a folding table and set that one in front of the sewing table so that the machine was sandwiched between the two. I know what you thinking, 'how in the world would this work?' Well, put your chair at the head of the machine! After rolling up your quilt sandwich, and sitting at head of machine, you now have equal surfaces to take the weight. I can free motion or use my walking foot to stitch in ditch or do grid work from this set up. I am always amazed when one of my ideas works! :lol: