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I've gotten a few requests to see how these hoops of mine get made so I thought what better way than to just show you all my process. One quick note before I jump into this: every fiber artist I have ever met has had their own way of doing things. There are traditional methods and modern methods, I use kind of a mishmash of techniques. There really isn't a "wrong way" to do this. Its all about what approach works best for you. That being said, lets jump on in and get started.
For the purposes of this video I chose to stich my logo. If you want to follow these steps using your own pattern you will need the following materials:
hoop to stitch in: you can use plastic or wooden, I like to stich in a plastic hoop and tend to reserve wooden hoops for display only.
fabric: you can stitch on almost any fabric, but for hoop displays I stick to a cotton fabric with a tight weave
needle and thread: there are different sizes of needles you can choose from and can vary depending on the pattern and type of thread you are using
pattern and transfer method: there are a few ways to do this, but I'm using Sulky Solvy which is my go to way to stitch my patterns, especially on darker fabics.
felt for backing: I use a thick felt with a fun color or pattern, this can be found at most craft stores
scissors; for trimming your fabric and thread
A few other items I use, but are not necessary are a cutting mat, pinking shears, iron, heat or water soluble pen and a needle minder. You will see these used but are not something needed to make your own hoop.
Preparing your hoop for stitching can be a bear when you're first starting out. It took me a few pieces before I got my own little system going. Here's how I do it...
First run an iron over your fabric to get rid of any wrinkles, this will allow your stitches to lay flat against the fabric.
Once you have ironed your fabric, measure a square of the fabric that is slightly larger than your hoop, cut out a square with scissors * I like to use pinking shears, but you can use whatever you have on hand, just make sure they are fabric scissors to get clean cuts*.
Lay your hoop in the center of the fabric, then remove the hoop and carefully place your pattern using the sulky solvy paper onto your fabric and firmly smooth it out. *Note: you can also place the pattern after you hoop your fabric, I just choose to do it first.*
Once your pattern is placed, take the bottom part of the hoop and put it behind your fabric, with your pattern placed in the center.
Next take the top part of your hoop and place it over the fabric and bottom hoop. Once placed, tighten the screw a little, just enough to hold it in place but the fabric can still be manipulated.
This next step can be tricky, so take your time. With the hoop in hand, slowly pull the fabric taught making sure to pull evenly on all sides. Tighten the screw again, making sure the fabric stays taught. Adjust as needed until fabric is taught and the screw is tightened.
*Stitchers note: There are many different ways to go about hoping fabric, there is no right or wrong way so fiddle around and find out what works best for you.*
Now that your hoop is set and the pattern is placed, we can begin stitching! Some tips to remember during the stitching phase
Follow your pattern! It's there for a reason, so if you get stuck, check the pattern!
Take your time! Go slow, stitching is not a race. Sometimes the most basic pattern can take a long time, and that's ok.
Mistakes happen, whether through knots or misplaced stitches, never be afraid to frog it and start over. Seam rippers are a super handy tool to keep in your tool kit.
Now that your stitching is complete, it's time to remove our pattern. Again, this will vary by your pattern transfer method, but for our purpose we will show you how to remove the sulky solvy transfer paper.
Place fabric, out of the hoop, onto a tray with a slight lip. You can use a baking sheet, serving tray, anything you have on hand as long as a bit of water can sit in it.
Run hot/warm water over the pattern and you'll start to see the paper dissolve. I like to kind of swish the fabric around a bit to help the paper wash off. *Stitchers tip: I use a kids toothbrush or a foam paintbrush to help remove any stubborn bits around the stitches. Just be sure to do so gently.*
Once all the paper has dissolved, rinse off fabric once more to remove any leftover bits. Gently pat dry with a tea towel or paper towels and let dry. *Stitchers tip: use a paper towel to pat dry the embroidered parts, I find it helps prevent any colors bleeding. I also like to let my pieces dry on a cookie rack over a small towel, this is completely optional, just dry it however works for you.* Dry time will vary, I usually allow mine to dry overnight.
Once the piece is completely dry, we can hoop it in our display hoop. Before we place the fabric, we need to cut our felt for the back. *Stitchers note: Much like all the other steps, backing varies. There are many different ways to finish your hoops, the method I use is closing the back then covering with a felt piece.*
Take your hoop and trace the inside of the hoop onto your felt, then cut out the circle. I like to use a thicker felt, but will use the thin felt with a pretty design from time to time.
Once you have your felt cut, hoop the fabric following the same steps from the beginning. Make sure to keep your embroidery centered or in the position you want it in.
Now that your fabric is taught and back in the hoop, flip it over and do a simple running stitch to sew the back closed. Don't worry if there is still some of the stitches showing in the back, it will be covered by the felt.
Next, take your felt circle and using a blanket stitch, attach it to the back of the hoop.
There you have it! From start to finish, a little behind the scenes on how I make these little hoops of mine. I hope you enjoyed getting this little glimpse into my process. For more behind the scenes looks into how I create my designs, follow me on Instagram and TikTok.
Happy Stitching,
Jules