A multi-position hoop? This is not a very common word in the embroidery world. Many enthusiasts who just begins their embroidery exploring must be unfamiliar with this term. It’s of course not a game changer level creation, but once you find out their correct usage, you will want to get one immediately. It’s such a user-friendly and helpful supply that every embroiderer should not miss. So this blog will introduce the very product to you and help your save time. Are you ready to elevate your craft?
1. What kind of embroidery hoop should I use?
Magnetic hoops is always the best choice. Typical embroidery hoops are made out of metal, plastic and wood. Each raw material gives the hoop a different characteristic. But unless you got some special needs, they are all very helpful tools as long as strong and durable enough. Quality is the golden standard. To select durable hoops, what’s the most important is to purchase from reliable brands. However, to get strong hoops, you also need to pay attention to the type of the hoop. Otherwise, your fabric can not be held tight and it results to a deformed stitching. So now, let’s discuss what kind of embroidery hoop to use. Metal hoops are easy to go out of style due to rusts, thus becoming less popular today. While wood and plastic hoops are much more popular. Many hand embroiderers might prefer wood hoops for their special texture and inexpensiveness. But be careful not to but some poor-conditioned hoops which might get splinters. But in machine embroidery, the most frequently used hoop is plastic hoop. They’re such a delight to embroidery while among this genre, hoops can still be divided into multiple types, including screw tension, spring tension, flexi hoop, magnetic hoop, and Q-snaps. They’re all good tools for keeping the fabric taut, but magnetic hoop is without doubt the golden option. Their strong magnets will hold any fabric steady between the two layers and maintain the perfect tension for quite a few days. When the fabric is tight enough to sound like a drum when flicked, it’s ready for you to start stitching. The flatter clamping way also minimizes the risk of hoop burns.
2. What is a multi-position hoop?
A multi-position hoop is an embroidery hoop designed with a special attachment. It consists of 3 - 4 connection parts, which results in 2 - 3 overlapping stitching areas. It attaches to a machine exactly the same as a regular hoop. The only difference that separates them from regular hoops is that they have more positions to attach. Therefore, stitchers are capable to stitch, for example, a half of the pattern with the hoop in one position, and the other half with the hoop in another position. This way, you can create a design both larger than your max embroidery size and your inner hoop size. Here is an example to intuitively illustrate this point. Suppose the largest embroidery hoop at your hand is 5" x 5". Generally speaking, you can only embroider a design smaller than this size at one time. However, if your 5" x 5" hoop happens to also be a multi-position hoop, then you might be able to embroider a 5" x 9" or 5" x 10" pattern all at once without repeating the hooping process.
Let take a look at the picture first. This a SewTech Magnetic Hoop for several particular Brother machines. As you can see, it is designed with 4 pegs, each adjacent two pegs fit with its compatible machines’ slot connection part. Thus it can be attached to the machine in 3 position, extending the maximum embroidery length. According to the product introduction, its maximum embroidery size is 4" x 6.75" (100mm x 170mm), but because it is also a multi-position hoop, its actual maximum embroidery area in practical use is larger than this value. To be specific, its actual embroidery length can exceed 6.75". In shorts, it allows embroiderers to utilize a larger area for embroidering within one hooping process. The benefits are quite obvious. For one thing, it gives a larger embroidery area with a small physical size. For another, it saves you from the trouble of re-hooping. These versatile tools not only enhance efficiency but also offer a wider range of design possibilities for embroiderers, allowing for more intricate and creative projects.
3. What is multi hooping in machine embroidery?
Multi hooping is a machine embroidery technique that splits a larger pattern into 2 or more sections to embroider the entire design. The process will need to use an digitizing software such as Hatch or Embrilliance to divide the design. Some software like BERNINA 9 DesignerPlus can even set hoop positions automatically if the pattern is simple.
Each part of the design is stitched separately and has to smaller than the machine’s max embroidery area. When embroidering, embroiderers need manually add hoops to cover the split designs. So this is when a positional hoop becomes useful. With the help of it, you won’t need to repeat the hooping process and the fabric marking along with it. You should not mix the two concept of multi hooping and multi-position hoop. Multi-hooping is an art that demands a thorough comprehension of your actions and a superb skill in positioning your fabric within the hoop. On the other hand, a multi-position hoop is a time-saving tool when you’re stitching sections separately. Indeed, multi-hooping is by no means a simple task. However, with some practice, your skills are bound to improve.
4. How do you use a multi positional hoop?
Multi-position hoops attach to your embroidery machine. They can fix in two or more spots, allowing you to embroider parts of a design in different locations. The method of preparing designs for multi-position hoops varies by machine type. Some require design splitting before loading; others don't. Software can assist with splitting, but it's essential to do this before embroidering. Fix the hoop according to the part of the design you plan to embroider first. For example, if starting at the top, secure the hoop there and complete the top part of the split design. Afterward, remove and reposition the hoop to embroider another part. Choose simpler designs when using repositionable hoops and split them in less noticeable areas. The main advantage of multi-position hoops is the ability to embroider larger designs, which is useful for adding more details and textures to projects. Splitting designs also eliminates the need to reposition and align hoops, saving time and effort while achieving better results. This video will show you step by step how to make a 5 x 7 hoop be used like a 5 x 12 hoop.
5. Magnetic Hoops vs. Multi-Position Hoops
Which one is better? Actually, why not get a combination? We sell multi-positional magnetic hoops for multiple embroidery machine brands. If there is no your thing available, you can search for those items on Amazon or any other website. Here is what advantages they have.
- Magnetic hoops:
These hoops are designed to fit most embroidery machines and can be used in place of traditional hoops. They are easy to use and fast, especially for people who have trouble with traditional hoops. Magnetic hoops use a magnetic force to hold the fabric, so there's no need to adjust the outer ring of the hoop. The fabric is held flat between the two frames, so it can be adjusted without distorting. However, some worry that the strong magnetic force of the hoop could tear fragile fabrics or cause hoop burn.
- Multi-position hoops:
These hoops have extra attachment points that allow the embroidery machine to use a larger area than a standard hoop. They can be used to combine multiple designs or split large designs into sections. Multi-position hoops are best for simple designs, but manual multi-hooping is better for more complex designs. However, because multi-position hoops are larger than the embroidery field of the machine, the design may need to be split and the hoop repositioned.
Embroider with SewTech!
Facing an amount of embroidery hoop brands and types, you might easily get overwhelmed. But actually you don’t need to be worrying. The hoop manufacturing industry is a relatively mature field. There is old manufacturers like Mighty Hoop and SewTech, and new competitors like various machine provider. So if you choose a better-rated brand, it’s highly likely you will get some nice products. No matter it’s a multi-position hoop or a magnetic hoop, it’ll live up to your embroidery requirements. SewTech is a credible brand that has been devoted to the hoop manufacturing industry since 19 years ago. We’re experienced in making superior embroidery hoops, including regular hoops, magnetic hoops and hooping stations. It’s highly recommended that you get advanced hoops to help fix your fabric. So, act now and replace your regular hoops with a multi-position magnetic hoop. For more information on the industry, watch our tutorials on YouTube and join our TikTok, Facebook and Instagram community. Leave a comment, and feel free to inquire any questions regarding to the industry. We are always glad to help. Thanks for your support!