Save Time with a Second Hoop

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!

Stitch Multiple Designs in One Hoop

Many times we try to save as much stabilizer as we can and stitch as many designs as we can out of one piece. One way you can do that is to hoop the stabilizer and stitch multiple designs in that one hooping of stabilizer. Depending on the size of your designs and your hoop size, you can usually stitch several designs in one stabilizer hooping.

Let me show you how to do it! The design I used for stitching is about 1" high x 3" wide. I hooped two layers of tear away stabilizer in the hoop. I usually will use two layers of stabilizer if I am going to be stitching multiple design in one hooping because it gives more stability the design more stability. With only one stabilizer hooping (two sheets of tearaway) I was able to stitch this design on seven shirts.

I stitched the first design at the top of the hoop.

Hoop your cutaway, tearaway or water souble stabilizer in the hoop. Spray 505 spray adhesive at the top of the hooped stabilizer. Stick the area of your fabric where you want the design stitched down to the sticky stabilizer. Place your hoop grid in the hoop to be sure your fabric is aligned straight. Stitch the design.

After the design is finished stitching, carefully tear out only the design from the stabilizer, but leave the stabilizer in the hoop. If you are using cutaway or a water soluble stabilizer, you will need to carefully cut out the design from the stabilizer.

I carefully tore out the area where the first design was stitched.
I can now stitch another design right below it.

Spray the area of the stabilizer directly below the cut-out and stick down the next piece of fabric. Make sure it is aligned straight with the hoop grid and stitch the second design.

The next shirt is stuck down, aligned straight and ready to stitch.

Be sure the design is being stitched completely on the stabilizer. If any part of your design is being stitched on the cut-out area with stabilizer, it will not be correctly stitched. So be certain you have moved down enough from the first design.

After the second design is complete, tear or cut it out from the hooped stabilizer and repeat the same process. Continue moving down on the stabilizer and stitching designs until the hooped stabilizer is completely used up.

Keep in mind that this will not work with every design. Every time you stitch a design and tear away part of the stabilizer, it weakens the tauntness of the stabilizer. Use designs that are small and lightweight without too many stitches such as mini designs, small groups of lettering, small logos or little accent designs. You may be able to get only two designs in the hoop or you may be able to get six. It depends on the design size and the diminsions of your hoop.

I was able to stitch this design seven times in one hooping of stabilizer.

Clean Embroidery Hoops & Grids!

Does such a thing exist as a clean, sticky-free embroidery hoop not covered with overspray and embroidery threads stuck to it? What about your embroidery hoop grid? I don't know about yours, but mine gets so clogged up with overspray and fingerprints that I can see nothing beyond the foggy gridlines.

Spray adhesive is notorious for sticking to your embroidery hoop. No matter how careful you are spraying the stabilizer in the hoop, some overspray is bound to get on the outer edges of the hoop. There are lots of cleaners that can be used to clean off the residue on your hoops.

The method that works the best for me is simple and easy to do. Run a couple of inches of water deep in the sink or bathtub with as hot as water as you can get out of the faucet. Then set the inner and outer frame of the embroidery hoop in the water and let it soak for about 30 minutes.

After the hot water soak, take the hoop out. With a toothpick or toothbrush, gently peel off the residue attached to the hoop. The hot water loosens the sticky stuff so it will cleanly peel away from the hoop. Use the toothpick to get in the little grooves if needed.

For the hoop grid, there are many cleaners that clean off the filmy stuff, but some of them may also take off the gridlines. So carefully test the cleaner to be sure it won't remove those necessary lines on your grid. I like to use DK5 on my grids. With just a couple of sprays of DK5, my grids are once again clean and clear.

This is what works for me! What is your favorite method of cleaning your embroidery hoops and grids?

Spray Adhesive: How much to spray?

How do you know how much spray adhesive it too much or too little? There are two factors to consider when using spray adhesive: (1) the fabric being used (2) the design being stitched.

Some fabrics will stick better than others. Flannel and fleece grip the stabilizer very well with just a little bit of spray adhesive. More spray adhesive is needed for cotton, denim and polyester. Stiffer fabrics and fabrics with a finish will usually require more adhesive to hold it to the stabilizer. After you have stitched with several different fabrics, you will get a feel for which ones need more adhesive and which ones will require less.

If you are stitching a dense design (for example 10,000+ stitches), it will need more adhesive to hold the fabric down to the stabilizer. Each time the needle is inserted into the fabric, it weakens the hold the fabric has on the stabilizer just a little bit. For lighter designs such as satin stitch and redwork outlines, you may not need quite as much adhesive. If you are sticking stabilizer to the fabric for decorative stitches, only a light coating is needed as most decorative stitches contain open stitchwork.

Always remember to spray the stabilizer and not the fabric. Also be sure to spray not only the area that is going to be stitched, but also around it. Many times we (me included!) will spray the center of the hoop and stick the fabric on it. As the design is being stitched, the fabric tends to pucker toward the middle where the design is because the fabric near the edge of the hoop is not stuck down to the stabilizer. Be sure the fabric is completely stuck down before beginning to stitch and you will have less puckers in the fabric.

Note: If you spray on too much adhesive and it leaves a spot, check this post for some helpful removal tips!

Spray Adhesive: Spray the fabric or the stabilizer?

Spray adhesive is great to use for machine embroidery and decorative stitches! My favorite brand to use is 505 Spray Adhesive because it holds the fabric to the stabilizer while I'm stitching, but is not stuck so tight that I can't peel off the stabilizer after I'm finished. But what is the best to spray with the adhesive - the stabilizer or the fabric?

It is always best to spray the stabilizer instead of the fabric or garment. Never spray the back of the fabric because the spray adhesive can leave a residue mark that can be difficult to get out. Most of the time 90% rubbing alcohol will remove most of the stain, but some spots are really tough to get out. Always spray the stabilizer no matter if you are stitching embroidery designs or decorative stitches.

If you are stitching decorative stitches, you will want to spray the stabilizer and then stick it to the fabric. If you spray the fabric and not all the sticky residue is covered by the stabilizer you stick to the back of the fabric, it will tend to stick to the bed of the machine and not want to feed through as you are stitching. This can cause your decorative stitches to become distorted.

Note: If you do get some spray adhesive on your fabric, see this post for tips on how to get it out!

Preventing Puckered Satin Stitches

Satin stitching is a fun and easy stitch to sew! It is a multi-purpose stitch that can be used for applique, decorative stitching and covering raw edges. But have you ever had puckers in your fabric from satin stitching? Or maybe the fabric folds under and bunches up in the satin stitches? Read on to discover ways to prevent this from happening!

When fabric is tucked into satin stitches as they are being sewn, that is called tunneling. The fabric is not heavy enough to hold the stitches and therefore the fabric puckers and tunnels. This commonly happens when satin stitching. As the needle jumps from the left to the right, forming each stitch, the tension on the thread pulls the fabric between the stitches, creating puckers. When you are finished satin stitching, the puckers will not allow the fabric to lay out flat.

To eliminate puckers and tunnels, a stabilizer is needed to support the stitches. Most cotton fabrics do not have the body and stability to hold the stitches on their own. Lightly spray a piece of tear away stabilizer with spray adhesive. Stick the fabric to the tear away stabilizer. Press down firmly and smooth the fabric over the stabilizer. Sew the satin stitches where needed and then tear off the stabilizer from the back of the fabric. Gently press the fabric and your satin stitching is complete! Note: I prefer to use 505 Spray Adhesive because it doesn't gum my needle and sprays evenly and cleanly.

satin stitching without stabilizer

satin stitching with stabilizer

The tear away stabilizer will keep the fabric flat and support the stitches as you sew. The spray adhesive will hold to fabric to the stabilizer and prevent it from moving. As the needle moves from left to right, the stabilizer will not allow the tension on the thread to pucker and tunnel the fabric. Not only is satin stitching easier with tear away stabilizer underneath, but also creates a more professional look when finished. Try it on your next satin stitching project and see if it works for you!

For tips on starting, stopping and tying off the thread while satin stitching, see here.

fabric & tear away stabilizer