I am by no means an expert but do have a couple of tips for you that I learned from my mom.
A quilter's knot is the most important lesson in hand quilting. It allows you to pull the knot through the back side of your quilt sandwich and hide completely in the batting. You can watch an enlarged version of the quilter's knot on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT5m5...eature=related I love this site because I can watch and re-watch while I'm trying it out until I have it down. It's a great refresher for those of us who don't get to handquilt as often as they'd like.
Second, I always use thread specifically for hand quilting and it is, as other's have mentioned, thicker than machine thread. I was taught to use bee's wax to coat my thread (perhaps not necessary any more since it comes coated). I still use it and find that I deal with far less tangles than without.
I'm not sure of the method you're using....there are several threads on the subject and you'll find one method works far better for your personal technique than others. I use a loose rocker method and a hoop. Keep at it and you'll find what works best for you. There is no one right way to do this except to enjoy the process and expirementation and to find joy in your way.