You’ve got your floss, your needle, you even know what type of stitch you’ll be using—but do you have the right hand embroidery hoop? The hoop is the most essential tool for hand embroidery, which means having the right one for your project is, well, essential! Whether you’re a beginner or experienced with hand embroidery, it’s important to know your way around embroidery hoop sizes and embroidery hoop frames. When choosing a hoop for embroidery, we recommend looking for a size about 1-inch larger than the design you’re stitching so you have plenty of room to work.

Another good tip to keep in mind is to not overwhelm yourself with a super large embroidery hoop, as it can be difficult to handle—by hand or machine. A hoop bigger than 8 inches is usually considered a “large” size. The most commonly used sizes are 3-inch embroidery hoops, 5-inch embroidery hoops, and 7-inch embroidery hoops.

What are the different types of embroidery hoops?

Wooden embroidery hoops are the most commonly used, but there is actually an impressive variety of embroidery hoops and frames available on today's market! Hand embroidery hoops come in every shape and size such as round, oval, square, and even triangle; they are made from a variety of materials, including bamboo, wood, and plastic. 

With that in mind, you may be wondering what the best embroidery hoops are, but that answer depends mostly on your preferences! However, many who do embroidery work recommend plastic hoops because they hold fabric in place the best.

If you are worried about your fabric moving around as you work, then you may want to pick up some hoop grip tape, which is a removable tape that you can use on just about any embroidery hoop! Embroidery hoop tape won’t leave residue on your hoop or fabric, and it can also be used in your sewing room in a variety of ways, such as marking the perfect 1/4" on your sewing machine to use as a seam guide!

An embroidery hoop stand is another versatile tool to keep handy. Hoop stands are designed to hold an embroidery hoop, freeing your hands for stitching. They are often adjustable, allowing you to customize the height and angle of the hoop to your comfort. Learn more about embroidery hoop stands in the video below!

Now that you’re feeling more confident about your embroidery hoop knowledge, you probably want to know where to buy embroidery hoops. Right here, of course! Embroidery is one of our favorite crafts, so you’ll find plenty of machine and hand embroidery hoops and accessories with us.