Hooping Without the Headache: 7 Tips for Perfectly Straight Designs

Most embroidery problems, misalignment, puckering, gaps, start at the hoop. Get hooping right and the machine does the rest.

Seven hooping tips

1. Hoop fabric and stabiliser together whenever possible, rather than “floating”.

2. Don’t over-tighten. Taut like a drum, not stretched; stretching causes puckering when it relaxes.

3. Use the inner-hoop guides or a template to keep designs straight and centred.

4. Match hoop to design size, the smaller the hoop the better the tension.

5. Press your fabric first, wrinkles never stitch out.

6. Add a topping on towels and fleece so stitches sit on top of the pile.

7. Test on a scrap of the same fabric before the real thing.

Now pick a design, our designs and collections list every hoop size, or read the stabiliser guide.