Useful tips for beginner embroiderers. Should I use a hoop when embroidering with beads?
So, what is the best way to embroider - using a hoop or without them? And if you embroider using a hoop, which hoop is better round or rectangular?
So, first of all, I will consider embroidery without a hoop, it has a number of advantages, but it also has a number of disadvantages.
In my opinion, the advantage of such embroidery is freedom. When embroidering without a hoop, it is very convenient to carry embroidery with you, you can embroider almost anywhere and at any time. It is very convenient to fold the embroidery into your hand when embroidering, but there are a number of disadvantages to this way of working. When you embroider without a hoop, the work gets very dirty and wears out and the threads rub off. The work takes on a "worn look" even before it is completed. Of course, washing and ironing help to restore the look of the embroidery, but unfortunately, if the threads are not of very good quality, then they will not become perfectly even. For myself, I concluded that if I embroider a small picture, then the hoop can not be taken. I work quickly, and the embroidery does not have time to fray. But if I have to work on a serious picture, on which I have to work for more than one month, then it is still worth taking the hoop. They will keep the look of the work, and besides, the stitches on the fabric stretched over the hoop lie more evenly, and the embroidery looks more perfect as a result. It remains to decide which hoop is best for me. Now there are a huge number of different hoops on sale, and which ones should be taken to work on cross stitch.
I decided on my choice through trials, I can tell you about my experiences. First, I took round hoops. I advise every embroiderer to have a round hoop in her arsenal, they are ideal for embroidering small pictures, but most importantly, they are ideal for embroidering ornaments. There is nothing better than a round hoop when embroidering an ornament on clothes. Due to its shape, the hoop does not interfere with turning the work in your hands in different directions, which helps a lot when working with embroidery on clothes. But if you are embroidering a picture, then a round hoop will not help you. Round hoops will tangle your work and create bumps that will be very difficult to remove even after you've finished embroidering.
The next ones for me were the rectangular hoops. In my opinion, they are not at all suitable for embroidering ornaments on clothes or small paintings, but for large paintings they are perfect. My hoop is 65 cm wide and 35 cm high, but due to the fact that the upper and lower edges are bobbins, and which can be fixed and wound as many canvases as you like, the maximum embroidery sizes are quite wide.
I liked these hoops specifically for working with paintings.
Now I want to try also a rectangular floor hoop that looks like an easel. Such hoops are shown in films when young ladies are depicted sitting at embroideries. Unfortunately, I have no place to put such a wonderful workplace. In my opinion, the disadvantage of such hoops is their bulkiness. For such a hoop, a special workplace is needed, well-lit and comfortable, and no matter what it needs to be moved. To my great regret, I can’t tell you anything about the advantages of these hoops - I haven’t tried it. Perhaps one of the craftswomen uses such hoops and writes to me about their experience with them and I can add to that page.
I hope that someone will find my experience with the hoop useful, and if not, do not judge strictly.
Type of creativity / technique / style: cross stitch materials: finished (hard) canvas, 4 plastic clothespins, two plastic holders for balloons, embroidery needle, working floss thread. Working hours: depending on the amount of embroidery Complexity: 1 - this method does not require the skills and experience of an embroiderer !!! HOW TO EMBROIDERY WITHOUT A HOOP
Dear Embroiderers! I am an embroidery designer Lyubov Schastlivaya. In this master class, I will be happy to share with you my secret, both without inconvenience and embroider very quickly WITHOUT using a hoop on a hard (finished) canvas. With this method, you no longer have to wash the finished work (it will remain clean and unrumpled). It will only be necessary to iron the work from the inside out through a damp cloth. Also, this method will be appreciated by craftswomen who embroider with beads! Attention: do not confuse this canvas with plastic!!! These are different things!
To get started, we just need to have on hand 4 plastic clothespins and two plastic holders for balloons, and of course, a hard canvas with a needle and floss
1. Scroll like a scroll, the left edge of the canvas
on a plastic balloon holder so
to the point where the thread is fixed (to start work)
3-4 cm remained. Holding the resulting scroll,
so that it does not unwind and weaken, connect
the resulting roll of canvas with a clothespin.
After that, the canvas will no longer unwind. Do it
do the same with the right edge of the embroidery canvas.
Now the canvas is almost ready to start working.
(photo on the right).
2. Now we need to make sure that the plastic
ball holders DO NOT SLIP out of
twisted canvas. To do this, simply pass
the ends of the clothespins into the holes in the "hats" of the holders
and firmly fix them there until they stop (photo on the right).
3.
The canvas is now ready to start embroidering.
Place the work in the process of embroidery vertically,
so that the hats of the holders with clothespins rest against your knees
(if you are embroidering in a sitting position).
In the photo on the right you can see what the work in progress looks like.
When the desired section of the canvas is already filled with crosses and you
need to move, for example to the right, then just a little
twist the scroll on the left side (by removing the clothespin and then again
fixing it) and vice versa, unroll the scroll on the right for the same distance.
PROS this way of embroidering are obvious:
- the canvas is not deformed by the hoop;
- the work always remains clean and does not even wrinkle;
- the working canvas does not gather dust if you put off work for a certain period;
- the scroll takes up little space and can be stored upright;
- hands do not get tired to hold the work, tk. the canvas scroll is very compact and, in addition to everything, has a fulcrum at the bottom with clothespins (the work rests on the embroiderer's legs).
I wish you that your crosses are even and light, the needle is dexterous and skillful, and your mood is always wonderful!!!
While working with students, I was often asked a question about the hoop. Are they needed, and if so, which ones? On sale there is a wide variety of hoops: they are from different materials, different shapes and sizes. So which ones are better? Or even without them?
So, first of all, I will consider embroidery without a hoop, it has a number of advantages, but it also has a number of disadvantages. Since there are a lot of types in embroidery (cross, satin stitch, hems, counted stitches, gold embroidery, ribbons, bulk, etc.), you can only embroider without a hoop with a cross. And then, if the canvas is tough and keeps its shape.
The advantage of such embroidery is freedom. When embroidering without a hoop, it is very convenient to carry embroidery with you, you can embroider almost anywhere and at any time. It is very convenient to crease the embroidery in your hand when you embroider.
A huge plus is that the execution speed is increased, because. it is possible to pierce 2 stitches in 1.
But there are drawbacks to this way of working. When you embroider without a hoop, the work gets very dirty and wears out and the threads rub off. The work takes on a "worn look" even before it is completed.
Of course, washing and ironing helps a lot to restore the look of the embroidery, but unfortunately, if the threads are not of very good quality, then they will not become perfectly even. We can conclude that if you embroider a small picture, then you can not take the hoop. If you work quickly, the embroidery will not have time to fray.
But if I have to work on a serious picture, on which I have to work for more than one month, then it is still worth taking the hoop. They will preserve the appearance of the work, and besides, the stitches on the fabric stretched over the hoop lie more evenly, and the embroidery looks more perfect as a result. Although the speed of work is doubled.
For all other types of embroidery, a hoop is a must. What to choose? I advise every embroiderer to have a hoop of various shapes and sizes. But plastic ones for serious work I immediately dismiss.
The tension density of the fabric on the hoop must be very high, i.e. pull the fabric, like on a drum, and periodically have to pull it up, because. fabric loosens during use. And the plastic hoop does not withstand tension and break.
In this case, wooden ones are better, they are stronger. The shape can be used both round (oval) and square (rectangular).
The main thing is that when choosing a hoop and a pattern, there should be a correspondence (if possible), i.e. it is desirable that the pattern fit completely into the hoop, and you would not have to drag it to the adjacent area once again in the future.
It may already be embroidered, and the threads may be damaged in the embroidered area when re-hooping. But there is also a drawback to the hoop. They leave marks on the fabric that are not always smoothed out.
When working with large works, I like wooden frames, on which the fabric is stretched with buttons. I will tell and show about this in a short video.
Material added by Yana, 08/15/2018
Chapter: Articles
In this article, we will talk about the types of hoops and whether you need to use them for beadwork.
We have been familiar with hoops since school and we know what they are for. Regardless of whether you are embroidering on canvas or other material, regardless of the embroidery technique (satin stitch, cross or bead embroidery), the use of the hoop helps in the process of working on the image, contributes to uniform tension of the fabric and threads.
While using the hoop, the working surface is clearly visible, the embroidery is comfortable to hold, and some types even free your hands.
The hoop helps to make the embroidery neat and makes it much easier to embroider, so it is preferred for use by beginner embroiderers. But some experienced craftswomen believe that the use of a hoop is not necessary, and working without them allows you to embroider faster, since the same stitch can be done in one motion, not two.
In order to understand and understand the need to use a hoop for embroidery with beads, you first need to understand what their types are.
Tambour
The most common type. Such hoops can be with fasteners and without it. The size can vary up to 35 cm in diameter and from 7 to 25 mm in thickness. The diameter of the hoop is selected according to the size of the embroidery, and the thickness according to convenience.
Made from wood, plastic and metal. It is generally accepted that wooden ones are the most practical and comfortable of them.
Oval and square hoops
They differ from round ones only in their shape. Many use them for square and rectangular projects to see the entire work surface at once.
tapestry frames
This variety has the appearance of a wooden rectangle, with the possibility of attaching the canvas from above and below. The canvas is attached to the fabric (sewn) or with the help of special clips. The advantage of such a device is the ability to scroll the canvas in any direction as it is sewn.
sofa hoop
Such hoops are very convenient for those who prefer embroidery while sitting in a chair or on a sofa. They look like a frame attached to a holder on a stand.
Machine tools
This is a fairly bulky hoop that has many advantages. They are completely hands-free and are mainly used for large projects. Allow to prevent distortions during embroidery with a semi-cross and petite.
Frame hoops
This is a hoop, which in itself can be used as a finished work. They have a loop that you can use to hang them up when you're done with the image without taking it out. Thus, you can immediately get a picture with a frame.
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So do you need a hoop for embroidery?
Of course, the benefits of using the hoop are undeniable. Thanks to the hoop, the fabric does not wrinkle or slip, which allows you to embroider as conveniently as possible.
If you embroider with only one type of stitch, as happens in beadwork, then the embroidery can lead to the side. Of course, when making a finished work in a frame in a frame shop, they can correct this and align the work with the help of tension. But we also want the work to be perfect right away, right? The hoop helps to cope with this task, but they are not always convenient if you need to fix some already embroidered area under the frame.
And it is also worth considering the fact that the satin, on which most of the patterns for embroidery are applied, is a rather delicate material that is very easily injured, and the hoop can leave puffs on it.
The hoop is definitely needed, but it is worth considering your experience in embroidery, the scale of the image and the materials you use.
If you have a very extensive experience that allows you to embroider any work with high quality without using auxiliary tools, or you are a beginner needlewoman who embroiders a very small image, then you do not need a hoop. But if you don’t have much experience in embroidery, or you are planning to embroider a large project and don’t want to rub the canvas with your hands, or you use a loose canvas that needs additional tension, then you can’t do without a hoop.
And remember, for working with beads it is better to use frames, machines and other types of hoops that do not involve fixing an already embroidered element between the elements of the tool.
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