Hey Rob, i am going through the same growing pains! lol I'm trying to hand quilt a project, and have been picking a few peoples brains. What i've found out is some like a frame and some don't, some like a thimble and some don't. And so i've been alternating back and forth between hand held frame and no frame, thimble and no thimble! Driving myself crazy, because each way has it's plusses and minuses. When i use a hand held frame, it's so easy to turn in another direction, but my stitches come out really big in a frame because i can't rock it up and down enough. Without a frame, i'm continually trying to scrunch fabric up in my hand. And of course, i have trouble sitting for very long or i get leg cramps! lol So i find myself with the quilt over the back of an arm chair, and me standing and doing it! But, i keep learning so much from everyone here. I hadn't heard of having the fabric loose in the frame to make the rocking easier, so i'm sooo glad i just saw that, and i'm gonna give the hoop another try lol lol At the same time, i've just bought a darning foot for my machine, so im gonna see who wins this battle, the hand quilting or the machine :)