feline fanatic

Is your machine recessed down into your sewing table so the machine bed is even with all of the table surfaces? This really looks to me like drag created when the edges of the quilt hang over the sewing machine bed before it is reaching the needle (in cases where the machine is not recessed down into a sewing table)

If it is recessed, I still think it is a drag issue. Maybe the weight of the quilt dragging off the edge of the table directly in front of you?

If it isn't a recessed set up you could try piling up some phone books or something to have a larger surface area for the quilt to rest on as you are feeding it into the machine. A long time ago, someone posted a picture of their setup. They got some of the really thick foam insulation and built a surface all around their machine bed so everything was level with it. Another option is the one Dunster described building a system hanging from the ceiling to support the quilt's weight.