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Hoops and Frames
Choosing Hoops and Frames
There's a huge range of different hoops and frames available now, so we've
prepared this guide to help you choose the most suitable for you.
Traditional wooden hoop
Wooden hoops are the standard cross stitch and embroidery tool. They are
cheap, versatile and easy to use. The fabric is placed over the inner ring,
and the outer ring is pushed over the fabric to hold it taut. A knurled
screw is used to tighten the hoop, although to get the best tension we
recommend keeping a small flat-head screwdriver in you sewing kit.
Clearly, a small project requires a small hoop, and although you can
use small hoops for large projects, it will require moving the hoop more
often. However, a larger hoop is heavier and more awkward to work with,
indeed the largest hoops are best used with a stand of some kind. Also,
it is more difficult to keep the fabric taut in a larger hoop.
To avoid marking your fabric, it is a good idea to wrap the hoop in
bias binding or cotton tape before using it. The fabric will become creased
by the hoop, and your work will require ironing before framing. When working
very large projects, the fabric that you are not working on can be rolled
up and tacked or pinned up out of the way.
 Spring
hoop
These are a modern alternative to the wooden hoop. The inner ring is made
of springy metal, while the outer is molded plastic. It is much quicker
to move the hoop around the fabric because the springy inner ring automatically
traps the fabric and holds it tight.
Flexihoop
Flexihops are made from plastic and can be used as frames to hold a finished
piece of work. Clearly, the hoop must be the right size to frame the work,
so flexihoops are available in a wide range of sizes and finishes.
 Rotating
hand frame
Rotating hand frames are ideal for large projects and tapestries. The top
and bottom of the canvas is sewn onto two fabric strips attached to a pair
of rollers. The rollers are clipped into the side bars and the canvas is
rolled up until it is tight.
The frame must be wide enough to hold the entire width of the canvas,
but the height doesn't matter since the project can be rolled off one roller
onto the other to reach the required position. A narrower canvas can be
worked on a larger frame, but it is heavier and it can be more awkward
to work around the frame.
 No
Sew roller frames
These roller frames are similar to rotating hand frames, except that the
canvas isn't sewn onto the frame. Instead, the canvas is taped to the roller
and secured with a few staples. The frames are lighter than the rotating
hand frames making them ideal for working on the move.
Note that to make a complete frame, you need to buy a pair of side bars
and a pair of rollers. However, any rollers can be used with any side bars.
 Mini
No Sew roller frames
Lightweight, miniature, No Sew roller frames for smaller projects. The
pack contains everything required to make a 6 inch or 9 inch frame, and
an additional set of rollers is available separately to make a 12 inch
frame.
 Interlocking
bar frames
These frames are made from lightweight square section wood with interlocking
joints at each end. Any two pairs of bars can be locked together to form
a square or rectangular frame, which must be suitably machted to the size
of fabric used. The fabric edges are taped over and stapled or pinned to
the frame. When the project is finished the frame can be broken down and
used again.
 Universal
craft frames
These frames are made from plastic tubes and have springy plastic clips
to hold and tension the fabric. The relatively large diameter of the tubes
means that the fabric is not creased by the frame. No sewing is required
to attach the material. When not in use, the frames can be broken down
for easy storage.
 Floor
standing rotating frame
Useful for very large projects, although the frame is adjustable enough
to be used for smaller projects too. The canvas is stitched to the frame
in the same way as the rotating hand frames.
 Other
floor standing frames
The other floor standing frames do not have a frame included, but can accept
most roller frames or hoops. The Posilock frames are good, general purpose
frames and are reasonably priced. The easy screw version has wooden blocks
attached to all of the wing nuts to make adjustment easier. Alternatively,
a tool is available to help with the standard frame. The frames also have
a chart holder that accepts magnetic boards, etc.
The OPUS and Tilt Roller frames are more adjustable than the Posilock
frames and both allow the work to be easily turned through 360 degrees,
giving access to both sides. The Tilt Roller frames are made with superb
build quality and are very stable. They have a joint in the upright leg
to allow the user to adjust to a comfortable working position.
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