Sounds like you'll be hand quilting. It's entirely up to you whether you assemble the whole quilt or do it in sections. I'm not fond of putting together the smaller hand-quilted sections myself. I have one right now that keeps getting pushed to the back of the to-do list. However, if it's a large quilt it'll be harder to handle in one piece. As for the snap frame, I've never used one but know of people who do and like them. I baste the whole top really well and use a 12-14 inch hoop, starting at the center and working out. My hoop is not on a stand.