How special for you. My grandfather made one for my grandmother that I saw her quilting on. But for hers, the whole quilt was spread across and open at the same time. She had a quilting group that met at her house and they all sat around the quilt talking and quilting. It took up a large room in the basement. Fortunately it was a walkout basement with lots of windows so they had plenty of light. She loved to quilt and talk, so she spent many hours with her friends working on their "church" quilts.