I have one and never us eit. It is for hand quilting. When I hand quilt I much prefer a hoop. The plastic ones with the little groove and prefferably the double one so it sits up on your lap. The plastic hoops also hold the tension but you want to push your hand in it and then thighten it because you do not want it all thight. It needs to look like the cat slept on it.
http://www.google.com/search?q=lap+n...=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&prmd=s&source=univ&tbs=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=XCDtTMfvBpO2sAPg-NmABw&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=image&resnum=3&ved=0CDEQzAMwAg&biw=1007&bih=671
I use it with the larger hoop to the top most of the time but you can do it either way.