KenmoreGal2

I don't make large quilts for that very reason. Even a throw sized quilt can be a bugger sometimes. I am using a machine in a cabinet which does help as Cari said. I put my ironing board against the back of my machine, I adjust the height so it's the same as my cabinet. I also put a small table to my left. It's still tricky. I love to make small wheelchair quilts for a local nursing home since the size is so manageable. I do FMQ.

dunster

This is exactly what I was going to recommend until PaperPrincess beat me to it. Before I got my longarm I quilted many big quilts in sections, using several of the methods in this book. Marti Michell now has a Craftsy class on this subject too, and it may go over the same things in the book.

Austinite

I have more luck with puddling as well and now I've got a straight stitch Juki with a large throat which helps immensely but I made tons of quilts and blankets on my domestic and remember the struggle well! I recommend do what you can for the weight like a large table, ironing board, once for a really tricky spot on the side of a large quilt I even bribed a friend with dinner to sit nearby and hold a large part of the quilt sandwich for me . I also recommend Machiners gloves (although the smell if I store them for more than a day or two in one of my plastic bins is awful, looking for alternatives) and lots of frequent breaks.

yolajean

One helpful hint for me was to throw the large part of the quilt facing you over your shoulder (I use both shoulders according to where the weight of the quilt is). Also, an extra table at the back of your machine or I used to use my ironing board for more flat surface behind my machine. I now have the PVC frame (which was posted and we copied). It fits around my sewing table and is about 7 feet high. I used shower curtain rings on the PVC and attached 2" elastic (each about 30" long) onto each ring. I use heavy duty clamps (the red and black from Menard's) to clamp my quilt to the frame. I have 7 rings; 3 to the left of my sewing area and 4 to the back. You do have to readjust your quilt but these clamps hold the weight of the quilt off of your sewing area and makes it much easier to FMQ. Here are a couple of photos. Cannot remember the woman's name who thought this up and posted directions. So sorry!

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Teen

I move my Babylock to the dining room table after I extend and add leaf to table. I don't have a large sewing table so, since this just temporary, it works for me. And, I puddle large quilts or fan fold. I use to roll but this created a heavy mass that was so inflexible to move around. Slide guides help as do quilting gloves. I use these even just appliquing. Looks like lots of great suggestions I'll be considering too.

Peckish

I'm still back on trying to figure out what "wrassling" is! I googled and found out that it's a game of some kind, but that doesn't make sense... I guess it's a good thing that others seem to be answering the question.

Prism99

Wrassling is slang for wrestling, I think.

themadpatter

Yes, wrassling is wrestling, just wirh a more freewheeling vibe. I have a huge table, as well as a pretty big cabinet (due to the large fold out flaps) but the problem i have is when its in front of the machine instead of in back. I think that i need to try it with accordion pleats. Will watch the videos. Thanks, and also for the pictures.

Irishrose2

Agreed. Wax the surface, put the ironing board or another machine cabinet to the left to support the weight, puddle the quilt and concentrate on just one area at a time. It will get done. Love the 301 for better visibility, too.

GEMRM

Another idea to level the table surface with the machine bed is to get thick foam, cut out a space to recess your machine in, then cover with a plastic table cloth or some other slippery type surface so the quilt slides. You'd need to cut a hole for your bobbin/needle area.
This was suggested by someone earlier on the board. If you're going to do a fair amount of large quilt quilting on your domestic sewing machine, this is worthwhile for the ease of moving it out of the way to resume regular sewing.