I always hand quilt in my lap---I am short, 5'11'' so I have short arms and have to use an oval hoop instead of round. I have great results but do pin very tight to make sure I do get good results. On the other side, my sister lap quilts without a hoop and gets the same good results. Try both and see what works best for you. One last tip, I always start in the center and work down, think of a sheet of paper folded twice and quilt that area and then fill in the middle working outward. Good luck--