From a very experienced hand quilter: My favorite way to hand quilt is with my large floor frame. (I posted pictures of it on here awhile back.) And I have tried hoops and no hoops. With a hoop (a I do use one if I want to travel with a quilt), I like to sit where I can prop the edge of the hoop resting on a table or something so I'm not having to hold up the whole weight of the quilt. One advantage of a hoop is you can turn it so you can quilt loops and circles easily by rotating the hoop. Make sure your quilt is not stretched too tightly in a hoop. It should not be saggy, but loose enough to easily stitch. I find no hoop at all to be extremely difficult for more than just taking a few stitches that I discover I've missed after I get a quilt out of the frame. But my high school Home Ec. teacher and her mom and sisters did all their quilting on their laps, no hoops, and didn't care for any other way. My conclusion...whatever works well for you is the correct way! In S. Alabama, there are very few months in the year I want a hot quilt wrapped around me! The advantage of my floor frame is no basting is needed! And it's very inexpensive and easy to make one.