I agree with purchasing a walking foot. It definatly is worth the investment. As for stretching, I purchased from Bed, Bath and Beyond some heavy duty bag clips. They were red, with a tight spring, and about 5" long. Two in a pack. I purchased 4 packs, should have purchased 6! I have a glass table top that I use for all my cutting. It is just the right length and width to stretch my pieces. I quilt on my Jamone, bunch under the arm, and lay the rest out on the table so there isn't any weight pulling the quilt.