9" of space is do-able. i think there are several members who successfully machine quilt on machines smaller than that. my machine quilting is still pretty awful but here are a few things i've figured out as i try to get better. they may not work for you, but they make a difference for me.
1. i roll the part of the quilt that will go through the throat when i'm doing long straight lines. i prop the roll over my shoulder to keep the weight off the machine.
2. if i need to work on an inner section and will need to turn the quilt while i'm "sewing", it's easier if i either scrunch or roll it into a circle around the section i want to quilt. (have you ever seen the paper pouches they use to oven-poach fish on a cooking show? like that.)
3. i had my machine in the bottom right-hand corner of my table. i make sure the space all the way around the table is clear of chairs so that nothing interferes with the movement of the quilt.
4. i try as hard as i can to make the quilt "float above the machine surface. the more weight resting on the machine bed, the more drag there is. if the quilt bunches up too much either behind the machine or to the left, i end up with a "traffic jam". i lose control of the movement and end up with stitches so teeny tiny they are nearly impossible to pick out if it goes too wrong to leave alone.
5. i have not been able to master the skill of moving my quilt around by placing my hands flat on it and sliding it around. even with one of those silicon mats, i can't achieve smooth movement. also, my hands get tired very quickly. so, instead of torturing myself i hold the roll or scrunch up in my right hand while the left is either scrunching some of the excess or it's under the excess, lifting the quilt. (hard to describe.)
6. once i've figured out the best way to hold the quilt, the next critical factor for me is the speed at which i sew. too fast and i not only can't control it but the stitches are waaaaaaaaay too small. too slow and the stitches are huge and the movement gets jerky. (curves become spikes. not attractive. :lol: )
i'd like to believe that my machine quilting would be better if i had a 36" throat. i suspect, though, that it will only improve when i have mastered the art of controlling the sandwich as is passes through and around the machine. until then, i plan to always use threads that match the top and back. that way, the gafooples don't show as much. :hunf: :lol: