think of the fabric as paper and the machine needle as a pencil. I find it much easier to move the pencil. For straight lines, like SITD, I simply use a LA ruler and have no problem. Both DSM and LA take practice as there is a learning curve for each. I have the HQ16 and can do a relatively simple quilting pattern, even on a large quilt, in well under a day. Used to take much longer on the DSM and an added perk is I have no pain in the neck/shoulders at the end.