I quilt on a flat type frame. I try never to quilt away from my self, but at an angle (top right to bottom left and top left to bottom right) isn't a problem as long as I am going toward myself. What I don't like is curves where you have to quilt away from yourself part of the time.

Don't you roll the end you have already quilted (quilt across the quilt as far as you can comfortably reach, then roll the quilted portion up and continue quilting). Our guild used to handquilt on a large frame, we worked from the edges to the center, rolling as above when we couldn't comfortably reach to quilt.

Thanks. Yes. I do that. The real problem I have is quilting away from me going from bottom left to top right. But I'm going to try working on top right down to bottom left, as I can go straight down and down from top left to bottom right fairly well. The comments have given me encouragement to work at being able to use this frame set up. As I said, I think it's fun to quilt this ol timey way.

My DM quilts this way! She's only 69 but when she decided to start quilting (about 25 yrs ago)her Dad made it for her. She asked for one like her DM"s. She loves it. I like to use hoops 'cause I want to take it with me.:) I hope you like it as much as my DM!

I use to have a frame up like that...Still have the hooks in the ceiling. LOL I loved it..Got big computer desk, cutting board, treadle machine and cabinets built in, so lost the frame, no longer could get around it..

I got ambidextrous by practicing on a simple quilt. I learned to quilt with the thimble on my thumb from watching old friend Hugh do it. He had to order thimbles special cause his fingers were so big. What's hard becomes easy when you practice. Congrats on having space to put up a frame, haven't done it for years.

I have a floor frame. When I first got it I realized that it had the same limitations that you just discovered - there are certain directions that are impossible to quilt

What I did is I taught myself to quilt with my thumb. I had to practice a bit, but now that I have the knack my stitches look good coming and going.

I got the idea from a quilting program that used to air on PBS - Hawaiian Quilting. I use a tailors thimble for my thumb, and a Roxanne thimble on my middle finger. The best directions that I've found on how to do it are in "That Perfect Stitch" by Diedre McElroy.

I believe Alex Anderson once demonstrated quilting away from your body by putting her quilting thimble on her thumb. Mine doesn't fit, but the tailor's thimble has worked better for me - with my thumb tip exposed I can grab the needle better.

I hope this helps you enjoy quilting on your "ceiling" frame.

Janet