I put something to my left to catch a lot of excess quilt. Something as high as the table works best. An ironing board works slick. Mine moves up and down to where I want it and is easy to move. A chair will help a little but a small table such as a sturdy TV table would be better.

I use two ironing boards: one for behind and one to the left to control my quilt.

I use the "pillow in the lap" method. I stuff my pillow into a nylon windbreaker.
My quilts get hung up really bad in the area between the front lip of the sew steady table, and the edge of the table it is on. I'm thinking pool noodle will help that. Next one I quilt, I'll try that too.

I have a HQ Sweet Sixteen and added a 7inch board secured underneath with steel plates to the HQ table. When I sit at my machine the addition just nests against my stomach so nothing drops in my lap.

My daughter bought a design from Patsy Thompson, approx $100. that uses bungee cords at the back of the quilt table to suspend the quilt. She said it worked very well.