I really like to frame my embroidered pieces in a hoop – you’ve seen it on several pattern covers. A couple of people have asked how I do this, so I put together a video showing you.
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My husband is out of town – which means my daughter was holding the video camera. Hope you don’t mind a bit of shakiness and a couple of close-ups of the backs of my hands! 🙂 I went ahead and used it because she was proud to help me and, in spite of the shakes, you could still easily follow along. I even have a spectacular failure that made me have to start all over – and I know how much you all like it when I leave those in!
You can find the Firefly Tree pattern here.
And if you want to hide the messy back of your stitching when you hoop-frame like this – I show you a nifty trick here.
Happy stitching!

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Great job, Jo!! This is perfect timing, I’m almost done with my August stitch-a-long piece and I want to hoop-frame it and I wasn’t sure how to do it. This definitely looks simple enough. 😉 Thanks!
I saw that piece when they featured it on Feeling Stitchy. Gorgeous! I can’t wait to see it all finished!
That’s really a cool trick. Your stitching is so nice you wouldn’t want to hide it with the muslin or whatever though. Mine is a different story!!! Although if it is for my kids I might like for them to see how bad it looks on the back so they know how hard I worked! LOL
tonilea
jiffy1212@aol.com
Thanks so much! Chronicle made some journals and stationery items a year or two ago with Jenny Hart designs (the queen of Sublime Stitching). I LOVED the journal they did with her unicorn design – the back cover showed the stitching from the back – with all the knots and tails showing. Clever and fun – and kind of validating to all of us just who don’t care if “the back looks as beautiful as the front.” It’s beautiful in its own way. 🙂
Thank you for this video tutorial!!! It’s very useful!! 🙂
Thanks! I’m glad it was helpful!
Wendi-
I just found your site. I taught myself to embroider this past year but wasn’t sure how to keep the excess fabric concealed behind the hoop. 🙂 Thanks for the tutorial. I especially love that you broke your thread and didn’t edit that out or retake it! Makes me feel good to know we all have those moments! Your site is wonderful! I have been teaching a girl to sew and will be sending her over to check you out.
Thanks Kimberly!
I finally did this for a tiny hoop I am making as a gift. Thanks again for the awesome tutorial.
You’re welcome. 🙂
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