Thread: Needing a good hoop/frame for hand quilting while sitting in chair!

What a memory with your user name Mimmy. Apparently that's what I called my mother when I began talking. It stuck with my dad as he called her Mimmy until he passed away when I was 46.

As to quilting, I use a pvc 14"hoop that I got at JoAnn's. Set up the card table to prop the hoop between my lap and the table. I sit on the couch so the quilt is mostly on my lap and the sofa but supplies are on the table.

When I was learning to hand quilt I couldn't manage holding a hoop and quilting at the same time. I don't know how anyone does that. So for my birthday hubby bought me an awesome hoop I highly recommend. It's a Hinterberg, sits above your lap, tips in any direction, has a flat base you can "sit" on if you like (one thigh on each side), worth every penny.

.....personally, sitting in a recliner seems like it would make any hoop difficult to use....I have to sit straight backed to get a good and consistent stitch, but maybe because that's how I was taught....

I do all my hand quilting in the recliner (not reclined) or antique rocking chair. I have always used a round hoop--18" inside, that came from Walmart almost 30 yrs ago. It is wood, and has needed new bolt & nuts a few times for the closure. I rest the hoop on my bent knee in the recliner, on the rocking chair arm...and I can work with one hand under and one on top. The oval hoop never worked for me either--too wide and too much turning, and is under some cabinet in my sew rm. Prob been there almost as long as I've had the round one. I agree--you need slack in the quilt. I load in the hoop, loosen the screw bolt just a bit and push down in the center...then tighten again. I have better control this way.

I, too, use a round wood hoop from JAF. I sit in my upholstered chair (non-reclined) and have no issues. I usually pin baste but on larger quilts (queen/king) I will sometimes thread baste to help reduce the weight of the quilt. I also hoop fairly loosely. There are also times I will quilt hoopless. I don't find it makes much difference in my stitches but I prefer to do smaller quilts without a hoop vs the large ones.

I don't know that I could use any type of hoop with an attached stand - I wiggle around and change position way too much while I'm quilting to be able to do that. I'd have to be in one position far to long for any kind of hoop with a stand to be useful to me.

This is the one I have and I absolutely love it.

http://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Product...bs_262646011_3

I just got a Barnett hoop. It is on a frame that sits on your lap. You can get a base for it and when you attach them together the hoop can swivel. It takes all the pressure off of your arm. I sit in my recliner with my feet up and it is just the right distance away. It is hand made so it takes a while to get it but it is beautiful. It was expensive but I got it celebrate my 60th birthday and my retirement from teaching for 38 years. I will start quilting my niece's wedding quilt on it next week.

Chech out this website - http://www.laptophoops.com/. I tried no hoop and the ones with no base. These worked the best for me for large quilts.