Something everyone thinks they know how to do, but do not really know is hooping embroidery correctly.

Work with your hoop until you get a good design sewn out, then take note how your hoop is set up, the size, stabilizer, design consideration, etc. Always hoop your fabric and stabilizer.

It should be tight like a drum when hooped .. not stretched .. just taunt.

1. Use a hoop that is in a good condition. Note that after hundreds of designs hooped, the hoop will lose some of it's original quali...
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Which stabilizers do you use and when?

Cut-away:
I've used the same product for many years. I have tried different ones, but keep coming back to the same thing. I use the stabilizer from OESD.

Sheer:
A newer product. I am beginning to use this most of the time now. I've also used this product on the industrial side for a good number of years. It works well with light weight and knits. I always hoop it and use two layers, placed with gains running in perpendicular directions. Sometimes I'll use ...
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Embroidery tip about matching your customers thread colours:  Never show your customer the entire embroidery thread chart from your thread distributor. Create your own colour chart using only the colours that you normally carry in stock.  The average embroidery shop owner carries about 30 colours in stock. Any other colour will be a special order. Some embroiderers, when starting off, have been persuaded by their distributor to order the entire assortment of threads in small cones.  Firstly, ...
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Even the most creative of us get to a stage where we run out of ideas.  This week's tip will contain a number of websites where you could go to get free embroidery designs and good ideas.

http://www.emblibrary.com has a number of adorable designs for your Christmas table.

 At http://www.sweetembroidery.com you can a different free design every other day.

Once you have signed in at  http://www.embroidables.com you are able to download a great many free designs licensed from well-known artists .

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Whether you are looking for free patterns to download, directories of embroidery stitches, online collections or information about historical embroidery and embroidery for re-enactors, you will find something of interest in this list of links to embroidery websites.

Alice Kettle
Alice Kettle has established a unique area of practice in stitch, consistently and on an unparalleled scale. She is currently Research Associate at Manchester Metropolitan University.
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