I read your post to my husband - he said, "Sounds like you wrote it". Several times I tried quilting a large quilt and he sat on the other end of the table rolling it as I quilted! Not an easy thing for me or something I will try again.
I agree with another person - not enough pins. I had them every 3" all over a queen-size quilt--hundreds of pins. I figured that the $100-$150 I pay to have my quilts quilted saves my sanity, my marriage, and LOTS of money ($8-10,000 for a long arm machine???!) I will spend my time and effort on piecing, and hire the quilting done.