Yes, I have an acrilic "extender table" that fits around the sewing arm of my Bernina, and it's been great. (I saw it at a New Jersey quilt show and ordered it from a quilting supply store that was exhibiting there.) In addition, when quilting a bed quilt, I move my machine so I have a table behind the machine to extend the support area further and avoid the drop and drag of the part already sewn/quilted. If necessary, I also add a small table to my left to support more of the quilt. If this isn't clear, let me know and I'll try to take a picture.
Also, in regard to pinning, I once saw Alex Anderson suggest using a grapefruit spoon with safety pins, to close the pins. It's a great help for my fingers!