When I teach someone to handquilt, I have them buy a cheap preprinted panel for a baby quilt. Sandwich it (I use safety pins no farther apart than the size of your hand...you shouldn't be able to put your hand on the quilt without touching a pin.) And then I have them outline quilt on the panel. If there are large spaces without stitching you can mark diagonal lines in those areas or so some other shape in that area.
When you are done you can bind it give it to someone to use (I've never ONCE heard a baby complain of the stitching on their quilt! LOL)
That way you haven't wasted your stitching time (hand quilting takes time!)
I started out with a cheap wooden oval hoop from Joann's in 1995. I made 2 quilts with that...a baby quilt for my DD and a full-size quilt.
From there I moved to a floor hoop by Grace Co. I made many, many quilts on that one...even a couple queen-size ones.
From there I moved on to a PVC floor frame. I used that for many years and made all sizes on it...including 1 king-sized quilt.
This past spring my DH gave me a Hinterberg 3 roll quilt frame and I just started using this weekend. I am in LOVE! (with him AND the frame! LOL)
I don't have a picture of my original wooden hoop, but here are pictures of the other hoops/frames.
Grace floor hoop with a QS quilt in it
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PVC floor frame with a QS quilt in it
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Hinterberg frame with a QS quilt in it
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