When hand quilting, I thread about 5 needles. Stick them in the top of the fabric near the frame. Then I quilt from top to bottom and right to left, but haven't mastered the other ways yet. I get to just the point where I need to go in the other direction and then I start another needle somewhere else within the frame. After I get all of my needles working somewhere on the fabric I turn the frame 180 degrees and work the other direction. I too have one of JoAnn's big frame that have legs that extend so you can make the back of the quilt frame higher (much easier to quilt). Since my diagnosis of de querveins and tenosenvitis, it's limited my use of my hand for long periods of hand quilting. I do miss it. I have a wholecloth about 2/3's done. I also use a leather thimble. As your finger 'sweats' in the leather it molds to your finger. Soon, you don't even realize that your wearing it.