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Save Time with a Second Hoop
By Serena Nabeta | January 8, 2008
If you are embroidering many designs at one time, whether they are the same or different designs, you can save lots of time by using two hoops in the stitching process.
Let’s say you are making a baby quilt with sixteen 10″ blocks that each have a design that takes around one hour to stitch. But it also takes another five to ten minutes to hoop the stabilizer, stick the fabric in the hoop and make sure it is aligned correctly. You have an afternoon to stitch several designs; how can you use the time you have most efficiently to get as many designs stitched as possible? Use two embroidery hoops; let me show you how.
Hoop your stabilizer, insert the fabric in the hoop, snap the hoop on the machine and start stitching the first design. While the first design is stitching, cut the next 10″ block and mark it as needed. Hoop your second hoop with stabilizer and insert the fabric in the hoop, making sure it is aligned correctly. Once your first design is finished stitching, you can simply remove the first hoop, attach the second hoop and start stitching. You won’t have to waste time getting your fabric in the hoop while your machine is sitting there doing nothing.
While your machine is stitching the second hoop, take the fabric out of the first one and rehoop the next block. It is now ready as soon as the current design is finished stitching. You can also get all your blocks cut and marked while your machine is stitching. The great thing is that you’re still in the room if a thread breaks, needle breaks or thread change is required and you can still accomplish other tasks on the current project.
Yes, a second embroidery hoop is an added expense to your already valuable sewing room extras. But for me it is well worth the expense to have an additional hoop. That doesn’t mean you have to have two hoops of every size you own. I would just purchase a second hoop for the size you use the most. With two hoops, you’ll be surprised at how much faster you can get your designs stitched!
For the business logo I embroidered on polo shirts in a rush before Christmas, I used two hoops and it saved me a ton of time. The design took about 10 minutes to stitch. I would get one in the machine stitching and then mark the next shirt and hoop it in the second hoop. I had enough time between thread changes to get the next shirt ready. It always saves me tons of time I used to waste hooping and aligning the fabric!
The hoop to the left has the finished design and
the hoop to the right is ready to snap on the machine and stitch!
Topics: Embroidery, Embroidery Designs, Helpful Lessons, Stabilizers, Tips for Tools | Comments Off
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