I agree with Lynnie. There are no rules. It also depends on what you are using as a frame. I have an old fashioned quilting bee frame (love it), and I start on one short edge, quilt a row, roll, quilt, roll, etc. I also have a PVC frame (much like the A-snap--love it too) and I start in the middle and work my way toward the outer edges. My favorite method is to put the quilt in the PVC frame and quilt around each block, or area, until each block is done. I then take out all the pins I used to hold the layers together and quilt the block in a hoop. My hoop is about 20 inches. I have some friends who actually hand quilt, and it looks very nice, without a hoop. I personally could not do it, but they can.
I am trying to learn FMQ, and have not done much hand quilting lately, but if I've had a bad day, or if life has become the pits, it always amazes me how much better I feel if I can just quilt for 10 or 15 minutes.
You should do it however you feel most comfortable.
amh
Saskatoon SK