If you thought embroidery hoops were just for ummmm…hooping your embroidery…then just wait till you see what else these wonders of creativity can do!
If you’ve ever tried your hand at embroidery, you are no doubt familiar with the trusty embroidery hoop. With the WIDE range of styles and sizes available from Colonial Needle Company, you are definitely going to be able to find a hoop for maintaining fabric tension for everything from embroidery projects to mending to quilting. But did you know this tensioning tool can be used as a creative showcase for your textile and fiber art pieces?
Let’s chat for a minute about the many uses for this functional and decorative tool.
Three ways to use sewing hoops:
- Stabilization and Tension
This is the first thing most of us think of when we consider the usefulness of embroidery hoops. And for good reason! Picture this: you’re working on a delicate embroidery design, and your fabric keeps sliding around like a high strung cat on a linoleum floor. Not ideal, right? No. And proper fabric tension is a must for hand quilting.
Without that smooth, taut surface, your hand quilting stitches become slow and cumbersome and uneven. Enter the embroidery hoop to secure and hold your fabric at your desired tension, making sure it doesn’t wriggle away from your stitches. It’s like having a personal assistant who holds your material steady while you focus on creating a masterpiece. No more wibbly wobbly fabric and wonky stitches—just smooth, precise stitching.
- Beyond Embroidery
The humble embroidery hoop might just be the muse you didn’t know you needed. Its round shape invites creative thinking, encouraging you to experiment with circular yarn, thread, and fabric designs beyond just embroidery. Whether you’re crafting a mandala, weaving with fabric or yarn, creating an abstract quilted art piece, or a holiday decoration, the hoop provides a unique canvas that can spark new ideas encouraging you to think outside the (square) box.
- Easy Framing and Display
When your artwork is complete, guess what? Your embroidery hoop doubles as a frame. That’s right—no need to scramble for an extra frame or worry about finding the right size
while digging through those piles and bins at the craft store…and don’t get us started with the prices of custom framing for projects. YIKES!
Create the perfect frame for your embroidery pieces, special fabric panels, extra quilt blocks, or that crochet lace you found in the attic. Just trim the excess fabric,or secure it out of sight behind the hoop, and voilà! Your art is ready to hang, gift, or show off on social media. Add a quick fabric wrap (watch our video for how we did that) or put on a quick coat of paint to create a custom frame minus the custom cost. Bonus points for looking effortlessly chic!
From enhancing precision in your hand stitching to serving as a charming frame to inspiring new creative projects, the benefits of using an embroidery hoop extend far beyond its traditional use. For additional information on how to identify the different types of hoops, how to prepare your hoop for stitching, and hoop use inspiration, check out our YouTube video here!
How have you used embroidery hoops in your crafting endeavors? Have we inspired you to take another look at how to use embroidery hoops? Tag us on social media so show us how you use Colonial Needle Company hoops!