Thinking Outside the Hoop

Try these quick tips to secure your challenging embroiderables without jumping through hoops.
September 01, 2004

Today's customers have a voracious appetite for a wide variety of embroiderable garments and nonwearables — everything from CD cases, belts and suspenders to sashes and thick jackets. If only you could find a way to get them in a hoop.

Because traditional embroidery hoops are so restrictive — requiring large sewing areas free of obstructions such as seams, zippers, Velcro, snaps or buttons — to tackle items other than golf shirts, sweat shirts and T-shirts, you must find ways to think outside the hoop.

Think It Through

Start out by identifying what makes the job a challenge. Typically, hard-to-hoop items fall into one of the following categories:

The fabric is too thick.

The fabric is too stiff.

There's not enough available area for the hoop to fit

Too thick. A hoop has an inner, fixed ring and an outer, adjustable one, allowing you to accommodate items of varying thicknesses. Unfortunately, because there's a limit to how far you can adjust the hoop, really thick products like heavy jackets can't be accommodated — the adjustment screw doesn't adjust far enough.

While some decorators solve the matter by using longer adjustment screws, this may not be as easy as it sounds. Success here depends on the hoop's design and the location of the adjustment apparatus. Even if you can open the hoop enough to handle the overly thick item, there's a tendency for it to pop during sewing — and it can be difficult, or even impossible, to repair the damage.

Too stiff. Stiff fabrics have a tendency to pop out, too. Hooping distorts, bends, twists and compresses fabric, so it should be supple and soft. CD cases made of cordura nylon don't give much, putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the outer hoop ring and pushing it off the inner ring.

Too weird. Your third nightmare is the item whose sewing area is limited or awkwardly placed. Traditional hoops require a smooth surface area that's considerably wider than the design, free of obstructions, and has an even thickness. Also, the hoop must grasp the fabric on all sides. If the hoop doesn't capture all portions of the garment, it will shift while sewing. Items like belts and leashes aren't good candidates for hooping because no available hoops can grip them on all sides.

Whether your item is too thick, too stiff or just too awkward, you have two possible solutions: clamping and hoopless embroidery.

Clamp It. Clamp It Good.

Clamping systems are the latest and greatest addition to the arsenal of embroidery accessories that help with difficult hooping. Clamps are designed to work like a set of toothless jaws. Insert your item between the clamp's top and bottom portions, and lock the parts together so the item is securely gripped in place.

Though this might sound a lot like hooping, it's not. Unlike traditional hoops, clamps secure fabric between a top and bottom frame, freeing it from too much pressure or distortion. Best of all, clamping systems come in a wide range of nontraditional shapes and sizes.

Way Outside the Hoop

Hoopless embroidery — ideal for such items as sashes, belts, trade show badge holders, animal leashes and dog collars — actually uses a hoop, but it doesn't come into contact with the item. For this solution, hoop a sheet of adhesive backing firmly in place, find the hoop's center, place the item to be sewn on the backing's surface, line up the hoop for sewing and proceed. (If you like, substitute tearaway backing coated with spray adhesive.) Be sure to get comfortable with the process by practicing on scrap materials.

Various framing devices designed to work with adhesive backing use the same basic process and can be used instead of a hoop.

Why Stop Here?

Many everyday jobs can be handled easily with either of these processes. You can manage shirt cuffs, patches and cap backs quickly and simply by using clamps. The hoopless backing method works well with unstable fabrics such as ultra-thin knits. Slippery fabrics, such as nylon, work with either method. The possibilities are huge.

Start thinking outside the box…err, outside the hoop. Hard-to-hoop items aren't necessarily impossible-to-hoop items; they just require a different approach to get the job done correctly.

Award-winning author and international speaker Jimmy Lamb, the director of training and education for Hirsch Intl. Corp., has more than 15 years embroidery experience. He is the author of The Embroidery Business Survival Guide and a frequent speaker at industry events and trade shows. Contact Jimmy at jlamb@hirschintl.com.