How to finish your Embroidery Hoop Back.

Frame your needle work using an embroidery hoop and wooden hoop back

What will you need to finish your embroidery hoop art?

• One of my Wooden Embroidery Hoop Backs. ( If you don't have one of my amazing hoop backs you can cut yourself a disk from cardboard. Draw out your disk using the outer edge of the inner hoop as your guide)
• Embroidery Hoop
• A pencil
• Scissors
• Textile glue ( My favourite glue is Gutterman textile glue)

Position your work within your embroidery hoop

1. Loosen the top screw and separate the inner and outer rings of the embroidery hoop.

2. Place the fabric over top of the inner ring.
3. Place the outer ring over top of the fabric and inner ring.

4. Tight the screw and pull fabric evenly through the hoop until it feels tight like a drum

Make sure your design is in the correct, central position within your hoop. If it is not centred exactly right, now is the time to make adjustments. Check twice cut once as they say!

Cutting your fabric ready to finish in your embroidery hoop frame.

5. Before cutting your fabric to size I recommend drawing a guide line around 10mm from the edge of hoop your, use your hoop to guide you. Once you have done this step a few times you may get confidant enough to cut free hand.

6. Once you have drawn your line, cut your fabric to size.

When cut you will should be left with enough fabric to tuck in and glue, but not so much that it makes contact with the fabric at the front of your hoop.

Warning - If you leave an excess of waste fabric it will cause unsightly bumps, and will be visible from the front of the hoop once finished.

Gluing your fabric to your embroidery hoop in preparation for you hoop back .

What Glue Should you use?

You can use any craft glue, a hot glue gun or even double-sided tape. I personally like to use a textile glue.

I recommend the Gutteman Textile glue because is it slow to set which allows plenty of time to work with no need to panic.

7. Apply your glue around the top / back edge of your hoop. Try not to be heavy handed with the amount you use.

   

8. Once you have applied the glue methodically work your way around the hoop, tucking in the fabric as tightly as possible. Try to make to fabric along the top edge as flat as possible as this will be the surface you will be gluing your hoop back too.

9. Allow glue too dry.

 If you don’t feel confident using glue at this stage you can use double sided sticky tape as an alternative. Follow the previous steps but apply the tape around the inner edge instead of the top edge.

Finishing off the back of your embroider hoop back.

My Embroidery hoop backs are designed to professionally finish of your hoop backs perfectly every single time

10. Apply a thin line of glue around the back of your wooden hoop butt, about 5 mm from the edge. If it is too close it the edge it will all squash out of the sides, if it is too far in it will not make contact with your hoop back.

11.Lay your hoop on to a clean flat surface with your work facing down. Carefully Lay your wooden back in position.

12. Gently press the back in place, remove any excess glue that seeps from the edges.

13. To ensure a tight finish apply some weight while the glue dries. Books are perfect for this, the heavier the better.

14. Allow the glue to dry according to the manufacturers instructions. Some will take a little longer than others.

15. Tada! Your hoop is now beautifully finished and ready to hang.

If you don't have one of my amazing hoop backs you can cut yourself a disk from cardboard and follow the steps above. Draw out your disk using the outer edge of the inner hoop as your guide.

Wooden Hoop Butts

My signature wooden embroidery hoop backs are available here.