I tend to agree w/roguequilter. I haven't done any hoopless hand quilting in a while but I don't recall bunching it up in my left hand either. I'm doing 'regular' stitching on my current on again-off again quilt but did 'big stitch' quilting on the last baby quilt I did. Not necessarily 'true' big stitching but bigger than my normal stitching and w/pearle cotton. I just don't remember if I used a hoop on that one or not...sorry.