If it is the basting that is the problem which it sounds like it is. You could check around and see if there are any long armers in your area that will baste the quilt for you. It should not be a huge amount, but it would involve them loading the quilt onto the frame to do the basting. Then you could take the basted quilt and do your domestic quilting on it. You could also check out used quilting machines. I got my APQS Lucey on a frame and she has stitch regulation as a demo machine for about $10,000 years ago. She is a basic long arm and I love her. I have had her for about 11 years now and I figure I have gotten my investment just about back in the $ I have saved not sending my quilts out to be quilted. You could also check and see if any shops rent out their machines. You usually have to take a class first and then the rent is by the hour. But this gives you a chance to see if you really like quilting. I did have a domestic machine on a little frame and the four inches left to quilt was not really very fun at the end.