I use a hoop. I love having the quilt on my lap, usually with a cat or two on one end of my quilt and another beneath it. In the winter it keeps me warm and in the summer when my husband keeps the air conditioning too high, it keeps me warm then too. I have tried a small frame and it just feels too confining to me. I will probably always use a hoop. I do vary the sizes sometimes, depending on the motif. The size of the quilt doesn't matter though, as I've done king size on my lap as well.