Tool Thursday :: Hoop Love

Hi there! Embroidery is such a fun, low maintenance hobby that requires very little in the way of schtuff. In fact, some people don't even bother with embroidery hoops. But I think the majority of us would agree that hoops make sewing easier and more rewarding. Especially if you're a little klutzy like me. If I had one of those "this facility has been accident free for X days" signs in my studio, I would be lucky to get to double digits. But I've never hurt myself on an embroidery hoop.* So let's go shopping!

These are the Susan Bates Hoopla Hoops and just like their name, they're fun and colorful.

PROS: Inexpensive and easy to use. Simply adjust the round nut to tighten and loosen. Perfect for beginners or to use on the go. I like the variety of cute colors.

CONS: Plastic may wear or break over time. Hoops come in a limited number of small sizes, not great for larger projects.

                              

                            Ye Old Wooden hoops. Need I say more?

PROS: Cheaper than cheap. Great for buying in bulk for classes or displaying finished projects.

CONS: *Actually, I did get a small splinter from one of these. The hardware is kind of wobbly and tends to not hold fabric tension evenly. I'd leave these for looking cute on the wall but that's about it.

 

Spring Tension hoops are my personal favorite. I "borrowed" one from mom's sewing basket ten years ago and it's still working great.

PROS: Still relatively inexpensive. Cute colors. Easy to put on and off fabric and move around on a piece, if needed. No nuts or twisty things to have to fiddle with, just squeeze the legs and pop it on.

CONS: It may take a little practice to get the inner hoop just right in order to let the spring go. Tension isn't adjustable. Have a low profile which makes your embroidery look a little warped at times.

I just discovered this Clover hoop the other day at the fabric store. I forgot my coupon (doh!) but will go back again. I'm a sucker for Clover products. They're usually cute, functional, "why didn't I think of that" kind of items I just have to add to my stash.

PROS: Thread will not get hung up on bulky nuts or spring legs! Yay! Sturdy hoop is made of composite plastic and is fully adjustable.

CONS: Pretty expensive. They run about $10 for a 4" hoop. See what I mean about the coupon?

These are just a few hoops for hand sewing. If you are a hard-core large-scale embroiderer, you probably have invested in one of these--

Or maybe one of these scary looking contraptions--

Which I'm pretty sure could double as a hoop skirt in a fashion emergency. Thanks for stopping by. Keep posting pics of your floss box (the messier the better!) to the flickr group and we'll pick one of y'all at random for a holiday Pimp Stitch kit!

Comments

[Brook Owens]

I think the plastic hoopla ones are my favorite.... I am always afraid the wood ones are going to snag my fabric. Have you ever tried the Q-Snaps? people swear by them... I've never tried the Q-snaps but it look a lot easier and you can do really big projects on it.

[miss paula]

I went to an A C Moore while in PA and I finally found an oval hoop! I had been searching and when I saw it I snatched it up! Sometimes items to stitch are long and narrow and I say it works well!!

[Krissi's Stitchery]

Lauren,

Great reviews! My personal fave is the old fashioned wood hoops with a modification: floral tape wrapped around the inner hoop. No snaggies - super grippy.

[Krissi's Stitchery]

Lauren,

Great reviews! My personal fave is the old fashioned wood hoops with a modification: floral tape wrapped around the inner hoop. No snaggies - super grippy.

[Julie]

I love the hoops because they have tiny ones but I am hooked on the q-snaps. My friend kittykill sent me one and I love it, she actually sent me two. I wish I would have had this tutorial when I first started out..

[Mary Corbet]

Nice review!

I prefer good wooden hoops, not the cheapos with weak hardware and poorly finished wood. The best hoops on the market, I've found, are Hardwick Manor hoops from Germany. They're smoothly polished birch, sturdy, come in various degrees of thickness for different types of projects (thin, for fine fabrics, thicker for twills, etc), and the brass hardware is good quality and can be tightened more than any plastic hoop. I've rarely had to wrap the inner ring with them, although I will when I'm working on something that will be hooped up for a while. While they're certainly more expensive than most hoops, they last forever - I've had several for years and years, and they are just like new.

Spring tension and plastic hoops are not really faves with me - the plastic (Susan Bates) type hoops tend to collect dirt under the top pop-over ridge, and spring tension hoops just don't keep good enough tension for me. Susan Bates hoops, though, do come in larger sizes - I've got a 12 inch and an old 14 inch one that my students like to use on larger towels.

I ordered a set of Q snaps a couple weeks ago. I'm eager to try them and review them. People rave about them, so I'd like to see if they're as great as fellow stitchers say.

With me, the key to any good hoop is craftsmanship, quality material, and the ability to keep excellent tension (especially the latter - otherwise, what's the point of using a hoop!!??).

[Kathy Kirby]

Where do you order the HM hoops?