Learn How To Hoop Fabric
Table of Contents
Learning how to hoop fabric onto an embroidery hoop is one of the basics in embroidery and it’s really easy. You can still stitch up your embroidery projects without an embroidery hoop but it will definitely make life a lot easier if your fabric is nice and tight. It’ll reduce the chance of stitches that are warped and uneven by keeping your thread tension consistent so the results will be much lovelier.
There are several different hoops to choose from such as bamboo, beechwood, plastic, and faux wood. Bamboo is a popular choice and is usually a bit more affordable that the other. It’s a good hoop to start off with but later on you might want to try the others. Beechwood hoops are more expensive, but it’s my favorite because the quality is amazing! Not only do they look beautiful, they have more tension between the inner and outer hoop to hold your fabric tight more effectively.
If you start off with bamboo and want to increase the tension between the inner and outer hoops so your fabric stays in place, you can wrap the outer hoop with thin strips of fabric or apply some Edmunds EHT-1 Stitchers No-Slip Hoop Tape. I’ve even used micropore medical tape in an emergency, and it works well if you add it to both the inner and outer hoops, but they are a bit wider than the hoops. It’s easy to remove a bit of the width with micropore tape. It’s perforated so all you have to do is pull off the excess.
Materials
- Embroidery Hoop
- Fabric that is at least 1.5 to 2 inches wider than your hoop on all sides.
- Screwdriver (optional but helpful)
- Any size hoop will do but it might be easier to start your first one with a manageable size such as 6” or smaller, and be sure to use fabric that isn’t stretchy or too thick.
Instructions
- Loosen the screw on the hoop.
- Separate the hoop into 2 pieces and lay the inner hoop on your table.
- Center your fabric on top of your hoop.
- Set your outer hoop over your fabric and press down to set it back in place.
- Tighten your screw.
- Pull the edges of your fabric to stretch until the surface tension is similar to a drum.
- Re-tighten your screw.
You’re ready to start stitching!
Video Tutorial
Easy peasy! While the instructions are simple, here's a video tutorial for clarity. Enjoy!