I stap stich so I need a hoop. And I need to put the quilt a little tighter than you do when you rock the needle. My problem is all my Hoops of wood that were given to me break. I even had a heavy plastic one break that should not ( Had it for 8 years ). Now all I have is my large wood hoops that are to big to work with on my lap. Has this happen to anyone else? What kind of hoop would you use?

I have a wooden hoop that was given to me that is the strongest I have ever seen. I have cross stitched for years and never had a hoop like that. I will check it tonight to see if it has any information written on it. The only thing about it, and it is probably a good thing, is that it is only about 10 inches in diameter. The wood is very strong.

Maria

Have you thought about getting the stand for your large hoop. I use mine for my large oval and 18" round hoop. It works great.

I found this on amazon as an example sometimes you can find the stand on ebay. Mine is 20 years old and they don't make it anymore. There are also some made by Grace, but they are verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry expensive. Mine was about $20 it will be more now but should be well under $100.
Maybe this will help. There are even stands for your hoop that aren't floor stands you can use them for working on your lap or table with your hoop. Do a google search.

I stab stitch quilt, and I don't always use a hoop, depends on the size of the quilt. if it's basted close enough and a smaller quilt I don't use a hoop, I have a big floor hoop I use otherwise, although I'm getting ready (sometime) to make a quilt frame like my grandmothers. It's very simple.. two sawhorses that are notched at the ends, then 2x2's or 2x3's for crossbars that have canvas or twill tape stapled to them to baste the sandwich to. You just roll the sandwich up on one of the crossbars, fit into the notches on the sawhorses and you have an area about 2' wide (or however far apart the notches are) to quilt on. You can make the sawhorses a height to "fit" you. When you don't want it out, just roll up the quilt and stack it all in a corner.

Newbie here.....just wondering what stab stitching is? Is it what it really sounds like, you just stab through the layers by hand? I will be doing all my quilting by hand so I'm interested in learning all the info I can about it.

Thanks!
Kelle

I have the stand.That go with the hoops. I was the same person that gave me the set. I know they are very old. Can't find them any were. It is when I put the quilt in the hoops it snaps the wood in two. I think the wood is dryed out.

When you stab you do just that. Go up from the bottom, pull the thread up and go back down, pulling again. To me is a great way to keep your stitches even. The other method you can use is rocking, where everything is done from the top and you place you finger at the bottom to feel that the needle crossed all the layers, but you can't really see it. Is realy fast and with practice you can get real good at it.

Maria

Try one of the newer square wooden hoops. Here is a sight that sells them.
http://www.beehappyquilting.com/prod...ops-3?vmcchk=1

I only have one hoop. Plastic. Had it for years and it works fine. Thinking about getting another. I do not know if I would like working with a wooden one. It might bother my skin.