I don't even know where I picked this up, but I live by it now when doing my embroidery. You know the non-skid bumpy material you buy to keep rugs and appliances from slipping? (sorry, don't know the name of it) Well, I bought a small batch from WalMart, cut it in strips, and I insert small pieces between the fabric and my hoop. And it keeps that fabric nice and tight! You have to work with it a bit, but when you get it, there's no tugging on the edges after you get started. And you can re-use them. love THAT part!

Stabilizer is a must, sometimes you need 2 layers of it. Always do a test embroidery. I throw my test ones in my scrap box and eventually, I will use my scraps and turn them into a Crazy quilt.

I just wrap my hoops with the ace bandage stuff that sticks to itself, used for sports and things. Works great and don't have to worry about getting it in between the hoop and fabric because it is always on

Two layers of cut-away stabilizer, loosen thread tension, slow down the machine speed.
Unfortunately SOME designs will just pucker no matter what you do. They were digitized too tightly.
Beware of really inexpensive designs from unknown places.

I just did redwork baby dolls and used a mesh stabilizer and also a tear away. No puckering at all.

Someone explain to me why the hubbies of the gals who don't sew or embroider or cook or bake or whatever always buy their wives nice stuff------------and those of us who love to do stuff like that get a new pair of sweats?

I really don't understand about the ace bandage stuff and wrapping your hoops. I've had an embroidery machine for 11 years and this just baffles me.

Grannie Annie: The husbands of the wives who not do any crafts, etc. have money to buy nicer things.........we spend our money on fabric!!!!!!!

stablizers are important for pucker free machine embroidery=sometimes you need one on the bottom and another on top (to keep the top stitches on top-not sinking and puckering) such as a wash-away.

I've always used the wash away stabilizer and have no problems. The trick as mentioned above it to get your fabric and stabilizer in the hoop taut but not so taught as to cause puckering. I think it just takes a bit of practice to determine how to get it to work properly for you and your particular machine.