Buying Embroidery Hoops

When you think of any kind of hand or machine embroidery, then an embroidery hoop is one tool that you cannot do without. An embroidery hoop, which is made out of two circular outlines is used to hold the fabric which you want to embroider and keep the surface of your fabric straight and tight. Hoops are great embroidery tools since they help in keeping your stitches even and facilitate quick and clean embroidering. Made out of plastic, metal or wood, hoops come in different sizes, so buying a hoop that is perfect for the kind of embroidering you plan will require at least some kind of deliberation.

Before you go to buy an embroidery hoop, do your research well. Look into embroidery books and you will find out all about the different types of hoops that are used in embroidery. Apart from the regular round lap hoops, larger oval quilting or rug hoops, square frame hoops, standing frames and stretcher frames are also used for large projects. Look at their functions and decide which kind of hoop would be best suited to your embroidery project. Next comes choosing the hoop size that should prove optimum for your project. Larger hoops are much more costly that regular lap hoops, which range from 4 inches to 12 inches in diameter. Lap hoops are quite versatile and easier to use and carry than other kinds of hoops. So it is advisable that you do not buy a large hoop for a one off project. Buy one of those only when you plan to take on regular quilting or large projects.

If you can get it, then buy a wooden hoop if possible. This is because embroidery hoops made out of wood provide much better grip than plastic or metal hoops. However, some people still go for plastic or metal hoops for different reasons. Buy a wood hoop as your first hoop and you can buy the other hoops later on as you get the hang of the kind of embroidery that you are doing and are able to identify your personal needs better.

Once you have decided about the kind and size of hoop that you want to buy, then you can start looking in at the craft sections of low priced discount stores in order to find a good embroidery hoop on a budget. You can also look into local thrift shops and garage sales to find good deals on embroidery hoops.