If you were to physically measure your hoop, you will find it is a different size.
The hoop sizes for each machine will be listed in the manual which comes with it. A cheaper machine is likely to only have one small hoop, while the top of the range model often has several sizes.Įmbroidery machine manufacturers will identify their hoops by sizes, usually in inches. The size hoop or hoops your embroidery machine come with depend on the manufacturer, the machine itself and how much you pay for it. Everything you want to do with your machine depends on the size hoops you have available. When it comes to machine embroidery, the size of your hoops matter. You may want to fold the strips of fabric in half to make them a little thicker for wrapping.Understanding Machine Embroidery Hoop Sizes & FormatsĮver wondered why your machine embroidery hoop sizes are different to the actual size they will stitch? Or maybe you’ve discovered that some designs have been digitised for a specific hoop size you don’t have? How do you know which design format you need for your embroidery machine? Relax, because I’m going to explain everything you need to know about the sizes of your hoops and which design format to pick …Įverything You Need to Know About Machine Embroidery Hoop Sizes In addition to cotton twill tape you can use bias binding or strips of fabric. The amount of binding material that you will need will depend on the size of your hoop and whether or not you overlap your layers of tape as you wrap. I used approximately 1-3/4 yards of 5/8" twill tape to wrap this 7" hoop. You may need to open the screw a little wider than normal to accommodate the extra bulk of the wrapping. Place your fabric in your hoop as normal and you should find that your fabric will slip less while you stitch. That's it! You now have a bound hoop and you are ready to start stitching Next bring the other edge around and cut it to match the first end to create a flat, seamless finish. I prefer this method because it creates a very flat, seamless finish however, if you do not have a double-sided adhesive tape on hand you can also sew the two ends together with needle and thread using a whip stitch. Once in place, Bohin Wonder Tape will hold your binding fabric in place for years.
Bohin Wonder Tape is stronger and creates a more permanent bond than the wonder tape that is often used to temporarily hold zippers in place while sewing. On the INSIDE of the inner ring, adhere an approximately 1/2" piece of Bohin Heavy Duty wonder tape. Once you have made it back to where you started, grab another fabric clip to keep your wrapping snug in place while you grab a piece of Wonder Tape. It is personal preference, so do what works best for you. Some people prefer to overlap their binding material because they feel it gives an even stronger grip and it is faster to do. I lay my twill tape flat so that the edges butt up against each other and do not overlap because this keeps the ring surface as flat as possible to minimize crinkling the fabric in my hoop. Use a fabric clip to keep your tail in place while you wrap.Ĭontinue wrapping the twill tape all around the inner ring. Leaving about a 1/2" tail, start wrapping the twill tape around the inner ring. Set the Outer Ring (the one with the screw on the top) aside and grab your inner ring and twill tape. To begin, separate your inner and outer hoop rings. Twill Tape, Bias Tape or Strips of Fabric (I used 5/8" cotton twill tape here).Binding a hoop is quick and easy and can be done with common supplies you probably already have in your stash. An added benefit of binding your hoop is that it can also help minimize creases on your fabric. Hoop binding means wrapping one or both rings in order to create a better grip on the fabric and reduce fabric slipping (i.e. Traditional wooden embroidery hoops tend to lose tension fairly quickly as you stitch in them, but there is an easy fix for this problem - binding your hoop. If you are in the tight tension loving camp, then Q-snaps, Morgan Hoops or the Eversewn hoops might be just what you are looking for. Certain projects are easier with tight fabric tension, while other stitches might require a good amount of give in the fabric in order to be executed properly.ĭifferent styles of hoops do a better job of holding fabric tension.
Some people enjoy stitching on fabric that is as tight as a drum, while others prefer to stitch in hand without a hoop at all. Fabric tension is very much a matter of personal preference among stitchers.