Hoop! There It Is!

Let’s talk about the three different types of hoops most often used for machine embroidery.  There is the standard hoop, the sticky hoop, and the magnetic hoop.

Standard hoop: comes with your embroidery machine is a two-piece hoop that requires tightening a screw to hold your material and stabilizer firmly in place for your embroidery. You can find this type of hoop in various sizes for most brands and models of embroidery machines. These hoops are more affordable and suited for most fabrics and projects.

Sticky hoop: is a one-piece, metal frame. To use this hoop, you will need a sticky stabilizer applied to the back of the hoop. Then you stick your fabric or project to the front side of the hoop onto the sticky stabilizer and you are ready to stitch out your design. Sticky hoops are great for embroidering on fabrics like terry cloth, velvet, silk, or felt. You won’t need to worry about leaving hoop burn on those delicate fabrics! Since the sticky stabilizer can be reused this will also speed up your production and help save money on stabilizer. You simply peel off your completed project and then stick on the next item to be embroidered. (To cover the hole left behind from removing your last project just add a little more sticky stabilizer like a patch to cover the hole and you are ready to go again.)

Magnetic hoop: is basically the crème de la crème of hoops. Magnetic hoops use strong magnets to hold your fabric and stabilizer in place. These hoops are arguably the most efficient and easiest to use. Faster hooping, no wrist or hand strain, no hoop burns on your fabrics or projects, and powerful magnets for hooping even the thickest and hardest to hoop materials! They are more expensive, and you have to be careful not to get your finger pinched, but they truly are a gem when working with hard to hoop materials and high-volume production.

And that’s my scoop on embroidery hoops! Laters!