Notes About In-the-Hoop Designs
As you browse through the large -- and growing -- collection of designs, you'll notice that some designs are marked as "in-the-hoop." The designs use a special applique stitching process to make an item in the hoop, usually without any additional sewing. Examples are below:
This design is a candy cane holder, made right in the hoop. The embroidery design contains the special commands that your machine needs to complete the design, but you'll need to check the instructions and the color change sheet to stitch the design successfully. Links to the product instructions are included in your order history. They're also located above the picture of the design on the website, so you can review the instructions and materials needed before you order the design.
This is a magnet design, made right in the hoop. Some in-the-hoop designs require an extra step at the end of stitching. For magnets, the extra step is to adhere a magnet to the backside.
This is an in-the-hoop scissor case, with a ribbon that ties neatly around the handles. You can see that the variety of in-the-hoop designs range from fun to functional!
The first time that you try an in-the-hoop design, it'll seem a little strange. You'll add fabric to the front of the stabilizer, sometimes to the back, and sometimes you'll think that you're stitching things backwards and upside down! But as long as you follow the instructions, everything will work out great. We've found that using a good-quality tear-away stabilizer, and a sharp sewing needle, gives the best results. Using a low-grade tear-away stabilizer with in-the-hoop projects, or using a ballpoint or embroidery needle, can result in thread nesting, shifting, and other problems. An article called In-the-Hoop Recipe for Success shows examples of using different needle types and stabilizer, and how that can greatly affect your results. Click here to read that article. If you're having trouble with your in-the-hoop project, please review the above information and article. Make any changes to the tools and supplies that you are using. If you are still having trouble, send an email to stitch@emblibrary.com. Include the following information: **Your order number **The name of the design **The brand of stabilizer you are using **Needle size and type **A description of the problem Include all of the above information.